It’s been a long time coming—and no shortage of tough deliberation—before finally deciding to invest in a permanent observatory on the Mangieri estate. But the wheels of progress are officially in motion.
My original plan was to build a roll‑off roof (ROR) observatory from SkyShed: essentially a wooden structure whose roof slides away to give the telescope(s) an unobstructed view of the sky. It’s a relatively cost‑effective approach, though not without its challenges, particularly the need for a robust foundation and a long north–south footprint.
Recently, however, SkyShed introduced their new POD‑S series: a fully automated, classic domed observatory.
It’s a more expensive option than the ROR, but it offers significantly greater capability and a slightly smaller overall footprint. After weighing the pros and cons, I opted for the 5‑bay POD‑S. The order went in back in December, with delivery expected sometime between March and April. Once assembled (yes, it’s a DIY build), it will become a state‑of‑the‑art permanent home for my EdgeHD11 and GT102 telescopes. The new observatory will be named NightSky (yes I know, not very original, but it is the name of my videography side-line business).
More updates to come as this project takes shape.
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