How I Built my Observatory - best upgrade ever!

A tour of the Refreshing Views observatory: equipment, accessories and upgrades.
How to build an observatory with a roll of roof, pier and power.
@Mary McIntyre FRAS visited at Christmas and has a tour of the obsy on her channel: • Refreshing Views Obser...
Built in 2018 with a rolling roof, concrete pier and warm room.

[@msq6826]

Bro you’re literally living the dream, amazing job!

[@RefreshingViews]

It’s defo worth it especially in the small hours when you don’t have to pack away!!

[@TheStevecas9860]

Great Tour Mark it made me feel like I was there!. Look forward to meeting you in April. Got another little surprise for you apart from what we discussed. Clear Dark skies my friend!

[@RefreshingViews]

So glad you enjoyed it. And yes looking forward to meeting you next month, Steve.

[@Astronurd]

Thanks for giving us a look inside your observatory and cave/office. The reason that there were no birds on the feeders is due to them being empty and bare. Fill them especially in winter and they will be inundated with visitors. You have aperture fever wanting the 14” and I want the 11”😂

[@thebluemoon3818]

Oh hell yes!

[@skywatcherca]

Sir, you are absolutely correct: security is not an option - it's as important as a good pier for the scope. I will share a succinct story with you. I have an acquaintance who had a 24" telescope - an SC - which I understand cost him in excess of $60K. It was a remote observatory, but well built with brick and block. Well as you should expect, 'locals' found out about this facility; they broke in and removed everything. My friend, who I put at least 75% of the blame for the break-in, had no security system - nothing. He had not notified his insurance company, and they refused to compensate him, as the observatory was NOT located within what they perceived to be his HOME. If he had notified his insurance company, he may have paid a premium for insurance (for the observatory) but he was amiss and in my opinion - he was not thinking. In any case, you are a wise gentleman: security is essential, and notifying one's insurance company to ENSURE that they will cover the observatory and contents - is just a good plan. GREAT video - thank you.

[@RefreshingViews]

Scary story! You're absolutely right. Security is so important and worth every penny if it helps you sleep at night. It's a shame, but no surprise, we have to consider it but it's a fact of life in my opinion.

[@jaseastroboy9240]

There is another advantage of the roll off roof versus the classic dome. It doesn't look like an observatory. This is probably the biggest deterrent as far as security goes. If it looks like a garden shed then it will attract less criminal attention. An observatory dome would have been very noticeable as something unusual in the landscape.

[@RefreshingViews]

That’s a good point Jase.

[@Spiceyspiney]

We absolutely love our 70mm William Optics refractor. Such amazing quality telescopes

[@RefreshingViews]

The little WOs are great aren't they? Lovely optics and surprisingly affordable.

[@pibyte]

Thank you for the tour! Great observatory!

[@RefreshingViews]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@davehyper7835]

Lovely job, thanks for sharing!

[@RefreshingViews]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@AswinSastrowardoyo]

Thank you for a very interesting tour of your observatory!

[@RefreshingViews]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@kevinduchscherer1610]

Great Tour Mark! I discovered you while listening to Chris and Shane on the Actual Astronomy Podcast. I will be building my roll off roof observatory later this summer. I'll be sure to remember your wise advice during that construction! I've enjoyed your descriptions of the Winter Star Party down in the Florida Keys. Take care and Clear Skies!

[@RefreshingViews]

Cheers Kevin good luck with your build - shout if you need any advice, I’d be happy to help. Details are on the about page on KZbin. Yes WSP is amazing - especially when you live under grey wet skies.

[@MrGp3po]

Thanks for the tour. Great ideas here.

[@RefreshingViews]

Glad it was useful.

[@nightscapejournals]

Very interesting video, Mark -thanks for putting it together. Looks like a super build. I have just this morning published a video of my own plastic-shed-modified build - nothing inside it yet, so hoping to sort that out in the next few weeks!

[@RefreshingViews]

I look forward to seeing how you get on.

[@juandavidbarrada]

Thanks for the tour. You got me thinking of my own observatory now!

[@RefreshingViews]

Go for it - best upgrade ever! Let us know how you get on Juan.

[@avt_astro206]

Nice video Mark. Your Observatory is So Awesome. Its My Dream To have a Skies like you someday😃. Thanks For This Tour!!

[@RefreshingViews]

Glad you enjoyed it DSH. Let us know how you get on.

[@Ericrbo]

Very inspiring. Thank you for letting us in your life.

[@RefreshingViews]

Glad you enjoyed it, Eric.

[@thecaravanham]

Very informative Mark. Really must get on and design my roll off roof obsy!

[@RefreshingViews]

You should go for it!

[@vampolascott36]

Really nice observatory!

[@RefreshingViews]

Thanks - it has changed my observing approach soooo much.

[@davidaylsworth8964]

Thanks for the tour sir. Interesting setup and location. My observatory southern horizon is also obscured by trees so I can relate to limitations in target selection. You’ve thought about your system thoroughly, notwithstanding the lack of power on the plinth. This video gives me ideas about features I would consider for my “next” observatory. Enjoy watching your tour. Cheers!

[@RefreshingViews]

Glad you enjoyed it and found it useful. Let us know how you get on with your plans.

[@AdirondackAstronomy]

Thanks for the tour, Mark. Looks like the perfect observatory. Planning where to put the observatory and getting the dimensions right while considering future upgrades is probably more time-consuming than actually constructing it.

[@RefreshingViews]

Yeah, it's good fun planning it all out. It could do with being a bit further south (like La Palma) :-)

[@kayedsss]

Nice setup!

[@RefreshingViews]

Thank you!

[@robi4514]

Super video Mark, it was great to get a detailed tour of your obsy, and hear your thinking behind some of the features (like a roll off roof allows you to still see the whole sky - kind of obvious but never really thought about that before). Lovely close ups of the moon by the way. I have thought about an obsy many times but I mostly do visual which really only takes 5 minutes to set up and tear down, so struggling to justify it, but your video makes it so hard to resist! Also I have a small garden, so there would be other prices to pay. I think in afew years' time I'll probably go for it - my ideal is to have an EAA setup, probably with a C11 and fastar setup for ultra-fast imaging. I'll let you know!

[@RefreshingViews]

Sounds like you have a good set up already! Anything that reduces set up / tear down hassle is a winner. Good luck with your plans, let us know how you get on.

[@kevicusfirst254]

wow nice one fantastic content just on with getting me self sorted for a pier then hope to build a observatory ..

[@RefreshingViews]

Let me know how you get on. You won't regret it. Having an easy set up is so worthwhile.

[@rogerhyman5758]

Very interesting Mark. I love the 3D models. Would be perfect for outreach projects. Thank you for that informative video.

[@RefreshingViews]

Glad you enjoyed it, Roger

[@geoffnash3098]

State farm insurance told me that keeping my stuff in the house I was covered if anybody broke in. If I built a observatory its not covered because its not part of the house. You have a nice setup there.

[@RefreshingViews]

Yeah that’s pretty standard - it’s a risk hence making it an acceptable level of risk.

[@SquidwardTentacles-]

Nice 😎

[@Spiceyspiney]

Really interesting video. I will put a link to it in the description box of my observatory tour video that I published today 😁

[@RefreshingViews]

Please do - and thank you!

[@peterwoolliams1283]

Lucky you have reasonably dark skies. Sewing belt loops on the too big trouser issue, try to find a matching colour of material though!

[@RefreshingViews]

Thank you - and yes, access to dark(er) skies was a key factor when we moved house! They are not as dark as I'd like but not too shabby.

[@josefernandoarenasrebolled5895]

Muy buen observatorio, bien equipado,me motiva mucho hacer el mío, gracias, Chile 51

[@RefreshingViews]

Hola Jose gracias por tu mensaje. Estoy feliz que disfrutaste mi vídeo. Disfrute tu cielo de sur en Chile.

[@TiberiusWallace]

You can always tell us people that have slogged gear around without an observatory even if they have one now because our counterweights are all chipped and rusty! ;)

[@RefreshingViews]

That's a great point! I defo don't miss setting up every clear night - and even worse packing away in the small hours!

[@3xistenc3]

Hi, thanks for taking the time to share your videos. It's given me some ideas for mine. How did you prevent water getting in from the far raised gable end? Did you leave some overlap? How's that been? Thanks

[@RefreshingViews]

The sides are shielded by a board and there are brush seals above the rails. If you want to message me on Facebook/Instagram I can send you some photos?

[@3xistenc3]

@@RefreshingViews thank you

[@Astro_Gardener]

Very good Mark, see you have made some more improvements since my last visit.

[@RefreshingViews]

Thanks 👍 - you'll have to swing by again next time it's clear.

[@mesenteria]

I wonder how the mechanical drive fares, especially the lubricants coating the gear faces, when the inside of a small shed rises to about 40 deg Celsius in mid-June to mid-September. Nice video so far, will continue to watch. I appreciate your efforts.

[@RefreshingViews]

Thank you for your kind words. You are right, they will inevitably worsen from hot summers and cold, damp winters. So far though they seem to be doing ok so no complaints.

[@jaseastroboy9240]

Should be ok. In Australia the air temperature in the shade can reach 45 degrees C (in some areas even more). But haven't heard of it being an issue for gear lubricants. Maybe the manufacturer uses different specifications for lubricants in different climates.

[@jps2520]

Inspirational. Thanks. Could you tell me what Make/model your motorised focuser is please? I am looking for something similar.

[@RefreshingViews]

It’s the OVL / Skywatcher SCT crayford. I’ve then put a skywatcher autofocuser on it - note I had to make my own bracket as it didn’t mount directly.

[@jps2520]

@@RefreshingViews thanks for the info. much appreciated.

[@TheWonkyAstronomer]

The observatory looks great. I wish there was a company building roll-off roof observatories here in Australia. Like you, I didn't want to build one myself from scratch and that's one reason I chose a kit dome instead.

[@RefreshingViews]

Hi Mary, our videos have clashed! Interestingly they are very complementary. I put a link on the community page to yours.

[@robertwilson6918]

Hi there I hope you are well I wish I lived near to you very good video's really really good I just want to now how tall is your pier in your observatory I'm going to build my own and I just want some advice thanks for the videos I am learning alot from them brilliant and I'm getting the az-eq6 pro for a 300mm Newtonian telescope

[@RefreshingViews]

It's 4-foot tall (or thereabouts). I did make a sketch to work out my angles over the walls and nearby trees.

[@kayedsss]

How hi must be the walls not block the sky and to reduce the wind effect?

[@kayedsss]

Is there any standard? I appreciate your help!

[@RefreshingViews]

My walls are 5’ high so I am out of the wind but your mileage may vary. I did some measuring on paper to make sure the scope could see over the walls.

[@johnparr5879]

The observatory looks nice, would you recommend the company involved?

[@RefreshingViews]

Hi John I can’t fault their workmanship but there are more recent reviews on SGL that are worth checking out. Caveat emptor.

[@johnparr5879]

@@RefreshingViews Hello. Mark. I followed information trails, online and yes indeed in such matters buyer beware, will continue my research and hope to find a suitable contractor /company. As next year is my remit, so see how matters may proceed. Many thanks John.

[@RefreshingViews]

@@johnparr5879 you’re right, it’s such a shame they’re having such a hard time and not giving the service people expect. Alas they suffered a family bereavement which has clearly affected their ability to deliver. I can’t fault their workmanship as my build is fantastic but I’m not sure I’d take the risk. Good luck with your plans. Let us know how you get on. Good luck.

[@johnparr5879]

@@RefreshingViews Indeed will do*...... things are a might complex, as the project is in a way also linked with a future move to Somerset from Shropshire. But I tend to be an optimistic... Soul. * O

[@bitrage.]

Do you have it all insured??? If not, you REALLY REALLY should

[@RefreshingViews]

You're absolutely right and yes, all covered plus home security installed.

[@geoffnash3098]

Where do you live that you have so many locks and security cameras? This is why I don't have a observatory I would be worrying if someone was trying to steal my stuff. Me I keep everything in the house.

[@RefreshingViews]

It’s all for peace of mind Geoff.