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private observing sites for members


astronymonkey

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Hi all,

I have often read with a certain amount of envy about some of the private observing sites in the USA where club members pay an annual fee to rent a spot on at a dark site.

I was wondering what was available in the uk which may offer a similar facility to give a safe and secure dark site, reserved for paying members, which is different to the usual star camps which only meet periodically.

We have a model airplane club nearby which owns 14acres of flat field, with locked gates and a log cabin as a small club house, so I know other hobbies have similar offerings. I think they charge about £150 per year to members.

Cheers,

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Model aircraft clubs are a good place to start - usually remote, dark, and good astro visibility. We (EMS) used to hire the car park of a local model club which we could use after dark (all the planes had gone home by then).

Another good place to try is cricket clubs which are out of the way. We now use two cc sites in Derbys/Leics. During the cricket season (over summer) weekends are fairly restricted due to matches. But we don' meet during the lighter nights anyway.

So in the UK it's not so much a facility as approaching and negotiating a deal with a local land owner. Then we spread the cost over equal membership contributions. Hth :)

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Yes, model flying clubs seem good and dont have that much on their sites that would make them worried having others useing the same place. In thier national website there is also a guideline on how to go about renting a site which may also be applicable to astro clubs.

I was just wondering how advanced we are on this side of the pond with regard to organised viewing sites when compared with the america.

Cheers

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We do not seem to have the same arrangements. Many of the US clubs appear to have an observatory or more as part of their club. One I saw had at least 3 at their location.

I think we seem to rely on sort of charity a bit much in the UK, equally we do not have lots of "spare" inexpensive land to purchase and build on. I guess any council would also try to charge whatever it felt it could as well here. I would expect any group that purchased say 1 acre and buit an observatory to receive a council tax bill quite fast. And likely classed as a business so even higher.

One approach may be to lease a piece of land for say 100 years, that could be done as a pepercorn lease (very small payment) and there could be tight conditions, as in used solely for astronomy and what could be constructed. Back in a way to the chariy aspect but it gets around a potentially expensive purchase, and supply some security of tenancy to the club/group.

Where is a bit more difficult, although I suspect there are places.

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The Astronomy Centre comes close to this description. I founded it on land I previously purchased in order to guarantee the tenancy. The site is open to members at all times for the use of their own equipment but the observatories and their installed telescopes are available only if keyholders are present, normally on a Saturday. And yes, we do have to pay council tax at business rates even though it is a not for profit voluntarily run organisation.    :smiley:

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