[Atmob-discuss] Land for a club observatory?

[Neil Fleming]

Yup.  All issues to work through.  We might want to
have a group chat of those interested via a con call
one night or weekend to discuss various approaches to
setting something up.  I can set that up, if
interested.

E.g., one large roll-off setup versus a few small
ones.

   ...Neil

--- "Paul A. Valleli" <valleli at rcn.com> wrote:

> One of the biggest problems are the legal issues.
> Before you invest in the cost of an observatory,
> warming room, deck, etc. We need to know what those
> legal issues are. The guys down in South Carolina
> were financially well off, from the nice job they
> did with all kind of amenities, tile flooring, APM
> mounts, etc.
> What if a partner renegs for financial reasons?
> What if one guy has an obnoxious dog making messes
> everywhere, a boistrous loudmouth ???  Six kids come
> along to visit?  
> What zoning regulations exist?
> I thought more development was forbidden by the town
> because of the fragile ecosystem around the lake?
> Mario and Bernie should know about that.
> Can we have a separate
> facilities/observing/clubhouse committee,
> a condo association or caretaker to take care of
> plowing and mowing?
> Toilet facilities?
> These are all the similar issues that the club faced
> at Westford over the years and the minimal
> restrictions and cost of a lease from MIT made it
> possible.
> I suspect that serious amateurs and semi-pro's won't
> want to deal with such hassles, just observe and
> take pictures.
> Boy, if these problems can be solved ! I believe it
> takes 75 to 90 minutes to legally drive there as
> opposed to Mario's flying sports car.    ;< ) gr
>  
> Paul   
> ---- Original message ----
> 
>   Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:41:53 -0400
>   From: "Buonomo, John" <Jbuonomo at uhs.harvard.edu>
>   Subject: Re: [Atmob-discuss] Land for a club
>   observatory?
>   To: "Neil Fleming" <neilfleming at yahoo.com>,"Peter
>   Bealo" <pbealo at comcast.net>,"Bernie Volz (volz)"
>   <volz at cisco.com>,"ATMoB" <atmob-discuss at atmob.org>
>   >
>   >What are the 1st steps to making this a reality?
>   :)
>   >
>   >I think that a picture speaks a thousand words...
>   >
>   >This comparison show's the difference in the
>   night sky from my
>   >observatory in Billerica MA and a site in
>   Hillsboro NH which appears to
>   >be about the same for sky conditions
>   >http://www.astronight.com/lp.htm
>   >
>   >
>   >-John
>   >
>   >
>   >
>   >-----Original Message-----
>   >From: atmob-discuss-bounces at atmob.org
>   >[mailto:atmob-discuss-bounces at atmob.org] On
>   Behalf Of Neil Fleming
>   >Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 10:06 PM
>   >To: Peter Bealo; Buonomo, John; Bernie Volz
>   (volz); ATMoB
>   >Subject: Re: [Atmob-discuss] Land for a club
>   observatory?
>   >
>   >I dunno about you guys, but while "pristine"
>   would be great merely
>   >"dark" would work for me too.
>   >
>   >I think I'd place the following items higher on
>   the criteria list:
>   > - Physical security / someone close by
>   > - Emergency response (like open/close roof) /
>   someone really close by
>   ><g>.
>   > - Access to power
>   > - Access to internet, or barring that, cell
>   phone coverage for cellular
>   >broadband
>   >
>   >I'll have to think some more, but most of the
>   other items would be
>   >design elements independent of location.
>   >
>   > ...Neil
>   >
>   >--- Peter Bealo <pbealo at comcast.net> wrote:
>   >
>   >> FWIW: Bernie's place is LOTS closer, but I own
>   some truly dark sky
>   >> land in Moxie Gore Maine that might be
>   interesting. The "only" issues
>   >> are: A) Its 3 hours away near the Kennebec
>   River B) Its ~ 6 miles from
>   >
>   >> the nearest power and phone line...
>   >>
>   >> But it IS very dark. No town of any size closer
>   than 30 or 40 miles.
>   >>
>   >> Peter
>   >>
>   >>
>   >> -----Original Message-----
>   >> From: atmob-discuss-bounces at atmob.org
>   >> [mailto:atmob-discuss-bounces at atmob.org] On
>   Behalf Of Buonomo, John
>   >> Sent: Sunday, March 16, 2008 9:51 PM
>   >> To: Bernie Volz (volz); Neil Fleming; ATMoB
>   >> Subject: Re: [Atmob-discuss] Land for a club
>   observatory?
>   >>
>   >> Neil, Bernie, ...
>   >>
>   >> I would be interested in building a remote
>   observatory in NH
>   >>
>   >> look at this idea...
>   >> I know a group of astronomers in SC, Hap
>   Griffin, and Gene Hunter (I
>   >> CO sysop a web site with Gene,
>   http://www.astrophotogallery.org/ )
>   >>
>   >> Gene has been building a site for observing
>   with other local
>   >> astronomers and astrophotographers
>   http://www.machunter.org
>   >>
>   >> After Talking with Gene and seeing what they
>   did, I started thinking
>   >> about something like this around here with
>   local observers, I was
>   >> going to post this idea to NHAS and ATMoB
>   >>
>   >> I would be willing to offer what I can, in
>   skill, equipment and money,
>   >
>   >> I am wondering if you and others would be
>   interested?
>   >>
>   >> They worked 2 astronomers per observatory, and
>   they are now up to 5
>   >> observatories..
>   >> Some with showers and mini kitchens
>   >> It works well for them..
>   >>
>   >> -John
>   >> -----Original Message-----
>   >> From: atmob-discuss-bounces at atmob.org
>   >> [mailto:atmob-discuss-bounces at atmob.org] On
>   Behalf Of Bernie Volz
>   >> (volz)
>   >> Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2008 11:50 PM
>   >> To: Neil Fleming; ATMoB
>   >> Subject: Re: [Atmob-discuss] Land for a club
>   observatory?
>   >>
>   >> I own about 40 acres of land near my house in
>   Center Harbor, NH. As
>   >> there is a right-of-way across it to another
>   parcel, and that person
>   >> is building a single house (they own about 50
>   acres), I've been
>   >> thinking that it might be a nice site for some
>   >> observing/observatories. A driveway is going in
>   (it is about .75 miles
>   >
>   >> long) for the house. The area has good skies
>   (Mario has his NH 32"
>   >> nearby).
>   >> There will be good
>   >> access to power and one could easily bring in
>   Internet (via cable).
>   >> There would be some infrastructure costs (to
>   clear land and build a
>   >> driveway, etc). There is a ridge, so there are
>   some higher places
>   >> easily accessible.
>   >>
>   >> It may be something I'd entertain. My current
>   plan for the land is to
>   >> leave it be (other than what's required for the
>   neighbor's driveway),
>   >> but I've been thinking ...
>   >>
>   >> ---
>   >>
>   >> You might also want to speak with Gary Walker.
>   He bought a place on a
>   >> hilltop about 30 years ago and in talking to
>   him a while back I
>   >> distinctly got the impression that he probably
>   won't have done it
>   >> again because with the newer equipment - such
>   as CCD cameras - you
>   >> really don't need pristine skies and having
>   immediate access (no
> 
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