John999R
Member
My astrophotography has dropped off to zero due to mechanical or software issues that I think I may have recently resolved. Besides that, I'm facing double hip surgery and just got a referral to see a spine doctor, yup, I have a bad back too, several bulging discs, etc. I can't do much Astro imaging because of the constant stooping and bending required when setting up and performing a routine called "polar alignment". I'm confident things will get better. Fortunately, I can still ride my motorcycles, lol.
My dream solution is to have a backyard observatory, basically a shed with a roll-off roof. That way you set up once, the telescope is mounted on a permanent pier so bending and stooping are minimized. Also saving about an hour + each time you want to image because with my current set up, everything has to be carried outside, assembled, balanced, leveled, polar aligned, star aligned, cables connected, etc. When done you tear it all down and make multiple trips back and forth putting the equipment away. An observatory eliminates all that, notwithstanding improvements in accuracy, wind protection, bla, bla, bla. I think if you were to ask any amateur astrophotographer what would be their most wanted piece of equipment, or words to that effect, it would be a backyard observatory. If I had a 10'x10' or 10'x12' observatory, I would partition off about 4'-5' and create a 4' x 10' or 5 x 12' "warm room". You monitor things in comfort from the warm room without being exposed to nighttime cold or bugs, such is the case if you had an observatory without the warm room. Only one small hurdle to get over first, we have to move to a house with a bigger backyard and no neighbor's trees blocking the view of the night sky. My sky view has been shrinking over time, I predict in another year it will be impossible for me to continue the hobby. All I have to do is convince my wife we have to move, mainly for reasons unrelated to Astro imaging. Piece of cake!
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