Building a Roll-Off Roof Observatory
A Complete Guide for Design and Construction
by John Hicks
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Pub. Ed. $59.95
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Building a Roll-Off Roof Observatory
Serious amateur astronomers shouldn’t have to lug heavy equipment outdoors each time they go observing. In Building a Roll-Off Roof Observatory, John Hicks offers a complete set of instructions for building the simplest and most popular type of small observatory among amateurs.
Hicks, who has designed and built his own observatory (and many others), covers all aspects of the subject—from planning the observatory’s site and orientation on your property to obeying local building regulations. The chapters outline the step-by-step construction of a typical observatory, and the accompanying CD-ROM provides complete, professional, detailed diagrams for each phase of construction as well as three sets of scale plans.
Why does a roll-off roof observatory beat the more familiar domed variety? How do you prepare the footings and observatory floor? What materials are best for exterior and interior siding? These are among the questions whose answers you’ll find here. We learn, for example, that in addition to being easier to build, roll-off roof observatories cool down to ambient temperature more easily than domes do. Hicks explores the advantages of including a separate “warm room” in your observatory to store your computer and CCD cameras, and shows how to calculate the proper dimensions of the structure. If, for example, your telescope has a German equatorial mount, the roof must be tall enough to accommodate its swing and rollover positions. “It is always best to err on the design toward oversize,” writes Hicks, “because your instrument may change with time.” From pouring the cement slab under the observatory to comparing various slide-wheel designs for the rolling roof, no aspect is left untreated.
Complete with photographs of various observatories as well as detailed technical drawings, Building a Roll-Off Roof Observatory is an invaluable guide for all amateur astronomers considering taking their hobby to the next level.
Softcover & CD-ROM : 164 pages
Publisher: Springer ( October 21, 2008 )
Item #: 12-692027
ISBN: 9780387766034
Product Dimensions: 7.0 x 10.0 inches
Product Weight: 14.0 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
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