Small Astronomical Observatories Amateur and Professional Designs and Constructions

In Small Astronomical Observatories, Patrick Moore has collected descriptions of amateur and small professional observatories currently in use in Europe and America, showing how many astronomers have built their own observatory, often with effective and sometimes extraordinary improvisations to reduce the cost. There is a photograph of each, along with details of its construction and a foreword written by Patrick Moore. In addition to providing a fascinating study for its own sake, Small Astronomical Observatories offers a unique fund of ideas and practical details for anyone who wants to build an amateur or small professional observatory.

1 A Practical Roll-off Roof Observatory in Michigan, USA.- 2 Mount Tuffley Observatory in Gloucester, England.- 3 A Solar Observatory with a Slide Roof in Jordanstown, Northern Ireland.- 4 The Edenvale Observatory in Edenvale, South Africa.- 5 A Roll-off Roof Observatory in New Boston, New Hampshire, USA.- 6 A Suburban Observatory in Worcester Park, England.- 7 A Simple Rotating Observatory in Nottingham, England.- 8 The Taunton School Radio Astronomy Observatory in Taunton, England.- 9 The Starlight CCD Observatory in Binfield, England.- 10 The University of Hertfordshire Observatory in Bayfordbury, England.- 11 An Amateur Observatory with a Glass Fibre Dome.- 12 A Glass Fibre Dome for a 260mm, 1.9m Focal Length Reflecting Telescope.- 13 Chigwell School Observatory in Chigwell, England.- 14 The Torquay Boys’ Grammar School Observatory.- 15 Patrick Moore’s Observatory in Selsey, England.- 16 A Deep-Sky Observatory.- 17 Worth Hill Observatory.- 18 Red Hill Observatory.- 19 Powys County Observatory.- 20 A Large Run-off Shed Observatory for a 0.49m Newtonian.- 21 Tenagra Observatory.- 22 The Observatory at Birr Castle in Co. Offaly, Ireland.- 23 A Lancashire Observatory with a Glass Fibre Dome.- 24 A Solar Observatory.- 25 The Carter Observatory — One That Didn’t Make It.- Contributors.