www.baader-observatories.com
After the decision to live in the countryside had already been made several years earlier, taking astronomical usability into consideration, the logical step followed in 2021/22: during the upcoming renovation of the attic, the lifelong dream of having a private observatory was turned into reality. In fact, nearly 50 years after the building had been constructed, the structural conditions proved to be extremely favorable for creating the required massive substructure for the instrument platform.
A folding ladder now leads from the living area through an opening in the walkable floor of the observatory to a more than adequate home for two exceptional refractors, which further fortunate circumstances in the course of my life had allowed me to acquire. Considering these instruments, which have become dear to me over the years, it is difficult to admit that the true marvel actually lies in the combination of dome and mount. The latter stands out for its precision and also has all the means on board to allow the dome to automatically follow its own movements. This does not only involve synchronous motion; parking and unparking the telescope can also be automatically linked to the closing and opening of the dome slit. Since I am always on site during observatory operation anyway, this alone allows the control of a photo session from the warmth of the house using common image acquisition software, or one can calmly attend to other things in the meantime and even go to sleep if necessary.
For me this results in a tailor-made solution: even without high-tech, the dome can already fulfill nearly all requirements up to the point that would otherwise only be necessary for true remote operation. One would hardly believe how simple it can be: the technology fades far into the background, everything works as if by itself. The complexity for the user has not increased compared to the days of using a tripod under the open sky; instead, many conveniences make life easier.
The large refractor, with its overall length from dew shield to the camera at the end of the backfocus, almost fills the dome space, and compared with a temporary outdoor setup one always likes to tinker a little with the equipment. Here another feature of the mount proves very convenient: thanks to the encoders on both axes, the instrument can be freely moved manually without any concern about losing the alignment. An upgrade that I decided on during the course of the project—despite already having a very good mount—and which I have not regretted for a single second.
Many thanks to Baader, who did not limit themselves to the “duty” of producing high-quality products and installing them carefully, but also—beyond the core area of the observatory—as the “freestyle,” were always happy to provide advice throughout the entire renovation project.
