Greetings!
It looks like my most wonderful of wives may grant me my wish for my upcoming 50th birthday and allow me to get/build a backyard observatory. While I'm leaning towards an Explora-dome mounted on their 10' x 10' square building, I am also considering building a SkyShed. What I would very much appreciate hearing from you is why you choose the ED? What factors influenced your decision?

Among the reasons I'm leaning toward the ED is the better protection from wind and local light pollution - both of which are plentiful in my backyard. It also looks really cool!!

Anyway, I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts.

Thanks.

I feel your joy.My wonderous lady gave me my Explora-Dome for my 60th Bday.I chose it due to space restriction (roll off rails)also the joy of being protected from the elements.I'm going on 62 and am very pleased with my 10x10. Plenty of space. I don't care what Viagra says,I LOVE HAVING AN ED!Rick.

http://www.freewebs.com/adkstars/index.htm

Our first Obs was a roll off with a flat roof. Snow build up led to a steep pitched roof/rebuild. Along came Rick Needham and with him we started the ED design team, my first reason to have one. Second---it looks cool. Third: No dew. Then....cut back on the wind, light pollution from passing vehicles, and surrounding sky. It has not leaked a bit since day one. It will outlive me and it will not ever loose it's value. If it does not sell when we move, I'll pack it and take it with us. There may be more reasons, but I just woke up and it's hard to think.

Steve

Well I've gone and done it! I ordered my ED yesterday, along with their new aluminum roof support structure, a steel door and the set of roof panels. Dan said I should expect delivery (via their truck) by mid-February!! Now I gotta get out there and build the wooden deck and walls for the 10'x10' structure. This is gonna be great!

I also need to track down a steel pier for my Vixen Sphinx SXD mount. Any suggestions?

Congrats on that! You'll enjoy it for sure.

I'd look at a scrap yard, and maybe the possibility of a couple rear axle housings from a large truck. Two or three could be bolted together to form a pier 5 to 6 inches diameter with a flange on each end. They are very rugged.

You'll want to decide on a final pier assembly before you build a footer to be sure the top of the pier ends at the correct height for your set up.

Steve