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I've made a decision...

From what I've heard from chatting with the folks at the RASC Winnipeg Centre, anybody who spends enough time as an amateur astronomer, realizes that the setup and take-down time required for a fully portable rig is sufficiently time consuming to result in less time being spent at the scope.  

Now with that being said, my rig is quite small (albeit the mount is quite heavy), but I find that between the weather and the cool-down time required, I haven't been getting in as much scope time as I'd like.  Of course the -30 to -40 wind chills in the winter have been the primary detractor, but even just the need to polar align the scope every time I go out, is somewhat annoying, but necessary task. 

So, without further ado, I've decided that I will work on providing my telescope and related gear a permanent home on my property.  In essence, I'm looking at:  

• Identify and clear a location on my property
• Install some form of (temporary) observing platform
• installing a permanent pier/pillar for the telescope
• Surround the pillar/pier with a building (the observatory)
• Construction of separate climate-controlled warm room (for electronics, computers, accessories, etc...)
• elevated decking to permit movement from the observatory to the control room, with minimal tracking of mud and debris
• incorporate some form of 'outdoor family area', by perhaps adding a gazebo or sunroom, as well as some place to host guests and operate the barbecue.
• possibly find a way to incorporate the firepit that I built last summer.
• ensure that there's some opportunity for the 'feminine touch', perhaps in the form of flower pots or other such ornamentals.
 

Now granted, this is going to be a multi-year project, but at least I've got a plan!

This page, and the pages I eventually plan on adding on (see right-hand 'blog' list), will be a permanent place holder, and public record, of the planning, design and construction phases of my observatory.