Sample

Here are a couple of pages pulled from the observatory plans set so that you can see the detailing drawn in and straight forward instructions that go with each step of the construction. Since everyone may not have the latest version of Internet Explorer or chose to configure their browser to display "pdf" files, I felt it necessary to display this image as a "jpg" to conform to most browser capabilities and settings. The pdf versions in the plans set are razor sharp and can be enlarged for closer examination.

The diagrams above and below were drawn with TurboCAD v14.2 Professional. The observatory was drawn in 3D to provide orthographic views that make the visualization of its construction more easily determined by both experienced and inexperienced builders.

The original of this observatory was designed and built by me in the summer of 1996. The only real mistake I made was building mine to 8 foot by 8 foot square instead of the 10 foot by 10 foot version as drawn in these plans. If only I had used my head, I would have realized that the extra two feet on a side would have given me 40% more floor area. My observatory, although adequate, is a bit cramped especially if you have a guest with you. Extra room should be allowed for a desk or bench on which to lay star charts, eyepiece cases, etc. If you are involved in digital imaging, then the extra room would be more than welcome for a computer and other associated equipment.