Who among us has not wished at some time that we had an observatory of our own? Instead of having to get the telescope out from behind the sofa then wait for it to cool down before it can be used, or take ages setting up the instrument by which time it is cloudy, with an observatory you can be observing within minutes. As an astronomer once said, ‘The best telescope is one you can get to in your pyjamas’, and while not every home observatory allows that, it certainly helps. There are all sorts of solutions available, from tents to full-blown metal or fibreglass observatories.

Our own David Arditti has been looking at all types of amateur observatories for a recent book, and at our November meeting he shares some of his findings, addressing such questions as: Do you really need one? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the various designs? Should you buy one off the shelf or design your own? and, How much do you need to spend?

Registration required:

No

Free:

Yes