[Atmob-discuss] Con call re Observatory Issues?
Paul A. Valleli
valleli at rcn.com
Thu Mar 20 23:48:22 EDT 2008
First of all, Bernie, Thank you for removing 40
acres from development. That is a very difficult
decision to make when the developers come along
waving wads of cash. This is a beautiful, somewhat
remote, but not to much so, section of NH and I wish
I was in a position to do likewise.
It is on the way to my favorite summer vacation spot
on Meredith Neck. The LP there is disgusting, no
thanks to Weirs Beach.
Those that have not seen it should visit the large
rolloff at Wallace Observatory. I believe that Bruce
Berger can get you in to see it. If I remember,
there are six piers installed,each with a 14-inch
S-C for student use. Each section is partitioned but
only red lights are permitted during any
observations. Servicing is done by the observing
assistant during the daytime. While working for
Ealing, I was project manager for the optics of the
16-inch and 24-inch scopes on the property.
Stellafane is considering a similar rolloff obs. to
be located to the south east of the McGregor Obs.
This would house Brian Lula's 20-inch astrograph and
would be slightly larger than the Ed Knight Obs. at
Westford. Dave Prowten may have some comments on
that building, but we can't start it until the
Pavilion is paid off. Stellafane is a 2 1/2 hour
drive from home, about the same as to Gary Walker's
dark sky site way up north.
The LLC ownership concept seems like a good way to
deal with the leases, if that is what is desired.
Paul
---- Original message ----
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:56:44 -0400
From: "Bernie Volz (volz)" <volz at cisco.com>
Subject: Re: [Atmob-discuss] Con call re
Observatory Issues?
To: "Neil Fleming"
<neilfleming at yahoo.com>,"Buonomo, John"
<Jbuonomo at uhs.harvard.edu>,"Nielsen, Gunnlaugur
Petur,Md"
<GNIELSEN at PARTNERS.ORG>,<pbealo at comcast.net>,<bruce at scopemaker.com>,"Mario
Motta" <drmariomotta at gmail.com>,"Brewster
LaMacchia" <brewster at mds.com>,"ATMoB"
<atmob-discuss at atmob.org>
>At this point, I don't see how that matters that
much (at least to me).
>Whether several people want to get together for a
single structure
>either with one or many scopes or multiple
separate buildings doesn't
>change that much in my mind.
>
>>From a pratical point of view, I think having
one large facility to
>house many scopes is an extremely bad idea:
>- If any one scope needs service, it may impact
others. How can you turn
>on lights when the three other scopes around you
are doing long
>exposures?
>- Large structures are much more expensive to
build than smaller ones
>and require much more complex systems. Mario can
probably atest to that
>- building a 16' dome was a lot easier than an
18'.
>- A single structure has limits (such as height)
that might restrict the
>telescopes that can go in. If you can build what
you need, you aren't
>restricted (except by your own choices).
>
>When we look at the provided examples (URLs in
earlier emails) and at
>professional observatories, you usually don't see
multiple scopes in a
>single structure.
>
>Again, if two or three people want to share,
there's nothing wrong with
>that.
>
>I do think that the concept of a group bunk house
/ remote control
>center may be preferred over having small rooms
attached to each
>observatory.
>
>- Bernie
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Neil Fleming [mailto:neilfleming at yahoo.com]
>Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 3:19 PM
>To: Bernie Volz (volz); Buonomo, John; Nielsen,
Gunnlaugur Petur,Md;
>pbealo at comcast.net; bruce at scopemaker.com; Mario
Motta; Brewster
>LaMacchia; ATMoB
>Subject: Con call re Observatory Issues?
>
>Bernie, it would be good to hear your ideas re
the
>"one large vs many small" observatory issues.
>
>I envision a chat of interested parties...not to
seek
>any sort of committment, but to sketch out ideas,
>relative interests, and the issues involved.
>
>For example, although I have used such facilities
in
>the past, both very remotely and fairly nearby,
there
>are many things I don't know. I figure we can
collect
>issues that can be divided up and spooled off for
>individual investigation, then checkpointed back
to
>the interested group.
>
>I can set this up...but I need to know what time
works
>for most folks. Saturday am? Monday pm?
>
>Thoughts?...Neil
>
>--- "Bernie Volz (volz)" <volz at cisco.com> wrote:
>
>> I really think that at least in terms of my
>> property, it is important
>> for people to see it first. And, I'd prefer to
>> discuss these kinds of
>> issues face-to-face at least initially.
>>
>> So, please go ahead with a conference call but
I do
>> not plan to
>> participate in it at this time. Your reasons
for
>> holding this call are
>> much different than mine. I, for example, have
no
>> interest in
>> investigating an alternative site.
>>
>> - Bernie
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Buonomo, John
>> [mailto:Jbuonomo at uhs.harvard.edu]
>> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 10:41 AM
>> To: Bernie Volz (volz); Nielsen, Gunnlaugur
>> Petur,Md; Neil Fleming;
>> pbealo at comcast.net; bruce at scopemaker.com; Mario
>> Motta; Brewster
>> LaMacchia
>> Subject: RE: [Atmob-discuss] volz at metrocast.net
sent
>> this to you
>> usingGoogleMaps: Center Harbor, NH
>>
>>
>> Bernie,
>> I think that I speak for everyone in saying
>> "Thanks!" for just offering
>> the property,
>>
>> If this idea does not become a reality, it
still
>> does not hide the fact
>> that you would be even willing to do this. This
>> demonstrates why
>> astronomers are a unique breed of
individuals... <g>
>>
>>
>> Please take the time in making this choice, for
me,
>> May is perfect but I
>> still think that a conference call would be
good
>> start so that everyone
>> could voice their Ideas and opinions...and
determine
>> if this is even
>> feasible .
>> I personally will do all that I can, to assist.
>> Cheers! And Well Done!
>> John
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Bernie Volz (volz)
[mailto:volz at cisco.com]
>> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 8:54 AM
>> To: Buonomo, John; Nielsen, Gunnlaugur
Petur,Md;
>> Neil Fleming;
>> pbealo at comcast.net; bruce at scopemaker.com; Mario
>> Motta; Brewster
>> LaMacchia
>> Subject: RE: [Atmob-discuss] volz at metrocast.net
sent
>> this to you
>> usingGoogleMaps: Center Harbor, NH
>>
>> Well, while I haven't consulted a lawyer and
this is
>> was just the seed
>> of an idea, my concept would be to have a lease
>> arrangement (and
>> probably not for 99 years - I was thinking
~25). The
>> concept would also
>> involve shared expenses for "common" facilities
-
>> such as building the
>> access road and bringing in electric/internet
(from
>> the currently
>> planned driveway to the site) and maintaining
access
>> (plowing, roadway
>> maintenance, ...). Leases might be
transferrable -
>> so that those that
>> needed to, could find someone to "buy them
out".
>> Probably best if most
>> of the observatories are fairly close together
as
>> that minimizes costs
>> and the amount of land to clear.
>>
>> My plan for this land (and why my wife and I
>> purchased it two years ago)
>> was and is to leave it undeveloped. I do NOT
plan to
>> sell any of it (it
>> technically is 6 lots and has subdivision
approval).
>> I do own an
>> additional 26 acres (2 lots) near by.
>>
>> BTW: All I say in here is not a commitment or
offer.
>> It is just my
>> rambling thoughts.
>>
>> I think that once spring is finally here, it
makes
>> sense to get those
>> that have an REAL interest to visit the land
and
>> discuss things a bit. I
>> do NOT want this to be a large group.
>>
>> I will be away the first two weeks of April,
and I
>> sometime in May will
>> likely work best. Let me know if you have a
REAL
>> interest and which
>> Saturday/Sunday in May works for you (as best
you
>> can tell now). May 3,
>> 4 / 10, 11 / 17, 18 / 31, June 1.
>>
>> You are of course free to go your own way -
find
>> some land, purchase it,
>> ...
>>
>> - Bernie
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Buonomo, John
>> [mailto:Jbuonomo at uhs.harvard.edu]
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 4:20 PM
>> To: Nielsen, Gunnlaugur Petur,Md; Neil Fleming;
>> volz at metrocast.net;
>> pbealo at comcast.net; bruce at scopemaker.com; Mario
>> Motta; Brewster
>> LaMacchia
>> Subject: RE: [Atmob-discuss] volz at metrocast.net
sent
>> this to you
>> usingGoogleMaps: Center Harbor, NH
>>
>> After hearing the responses from our little
thread,
>> I contacted Gene
>> with a few questions about his site and the
problems
>> he faced when
>> starting up...
>> This is his response....
>>
>>
>>
>========================================================================
>> ===========================
>>
>> The biggest original issue with MAC Hunter was
>> getting people involved.
>> Then after a few years it was growing so fast
that
>> it was the other way
>> around, how can we slow this down. Its a great
>> concept, I live here on
>> the property and I originally bought this
property
>> to build an
>> observatory.
>>
>> However its quit lonely out there by yourself.
So I
>> had this brainstorm
>> to let people build on my property. Well after
a few
>> years we got an
>> attorney as a member and we decided that we had
so
>> much money in the
>> buildings that I should donate the land to an
LLC
>> that we all owned so
>> that nobody would ever have to worry about if I
get
>> a divorce or
>> whatever. So it evolved over time. It is
wonderful
>> in so many ways to go
>> in your own back yard any weekend or clear
night and
>> find people back
>> there doing astrophotography.
>>
>> I have come out the clear winner because the
star
>> party is at my house.
>> But there are some down sides. Privacy becomes
an
>> issue. Also I provide
>> the electricity and Internet so they do
sometime use
>> that a bit. There
>> are things to consider but I would still do it
today
>> if I had a choice.
>> Its the main thing I live for in life since I
was a
>> young adult so I am
>> ok with it. I would not recommend it though to
>> anyone that does not feel
>> the same way. So its a great way to go when you
>> consider the help you
>> get.
>>
>> One of the guys in our group is a construction
>> supervisor so he built
>> the original super observatory that we used for
our
>> plans. We all
>> pitched in to help each other out with ideas
and we
>> are all learning
>> from each other all the time.
>>
>> I live here on 15 acres and I use about 1 acre
for
>> myself. the BOG uses
>> one acre. So I still have some room to grow but
at
>> this point my sanity
>> is my major concern, I have had many offers
from
>> people to build houses
>> here. I think we have come far enough and I
think
>> that the 1 acre BOG
>> owns now is enough.
>>
>=== message truncated ===
>
>
>www.flemingastrophotography.com
> Direct from Boston - brilliant diamonds in pea
soup
> Also check out the astro_narrowband Yahoo group!
>
>_______________________________________________
>Atmob-discuss mailing list
>Atmob-discuss at atmob.org
>http://lists.atmob.org/mailman/listinfo/atmob-discuss
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