My largest astro investment ever

[wimvb]

Some time ago, me and Mrs vb decided it's time to sell our house and move to a more quiet area. We found a property not too far away, yet more rural than where we live today. Deciding on the new location, I had my hobby in mind, and I think we found an almost perfect spot. The property is large enough not to be bothered by any neighbours (currently more than 100 m away to either side), and lies almost at the end of a cul-de-sac without any streetlights. It has a gentle south-facing slope, overlooking a large field and a forest several 100 m away.

After finalising the deal, I looked it up on lightpollutionmap.info.

The only two downsides are that the site is just as clouded as the rest of Sweden, and that it will take at least another year before we can move there. We still have to build a house ...

[Ludd]

Good luck!  I have just started the process of buying a place with a much darker sky than our present place in London.  We have the slight advantage that the house is already built.  The problem now is that we don't have any money left over for an observatory, so I will have to keep lugging the kit out of the shed every time.

[DaveS]

48 minutes ago, Ludd said:

Good luck!  I have just started the process of buying a place with a much darker sky than our present place in London.  We have the slight advantage that the house is already built.  The problem now is that we don't have any money left over for an observatory, so I will have to keep lugging the kit out of the shed every time.

And good luck to you as well.

Where (Roughly) are you moving to? I have medium term plans to sell up here and move to a dark-ish area in Dorset, mainly for the climate.

[laudropb]

Good luck with the house move Wim.

[wimvb]

48 minutes ago, Ludd said:

Good luck!  I have just started the process of buying a place with a much darker sky than our present place in London.  We have the slight advantage that the house is already built.  The problem now is that we don't have any money left over for an observatory, so I will have to keep lugging the kit out of the shed every time.

Imo lugging into the dark is less of a burden than lugging into the light. At least you'll know that you'll see more, and (in my case) any images should be better. I haven't been at my new site yet during the night, but I expect that I'll be able to see the milky way in all its glory, and possibly even the Andromeda galaxy. (Naked eye of course.) Right now I can only see the main stars of common constellations.

[Stub Mandrel]

Nice one Wim,

Save money on architect's fees and copy an existing design...

[wimvb]

1 hour ago, Kanori24 said:

I live in the middle of the city, so I'm in the red, lol Fortunately I have a friend 45 minutes away who is in quite a dark place. So I suppose my greatest investment would also be a home somewhere well away from these blasted city lights.

Or value the friendship. After my investment, I'll be in the red for a long time as well (but a kind I can live with).

 

1 hour ago, Ludd said:

Good luck!  I have just started the process of buying a place with a much darker sky than our present place in London.  We have the slight advantage that the house is already built.  The problem now is that we don't have any money left over for an observatory, so I will have to keep lugging the kit out of the shed every time.

We considered buying a house, but found out that we are very picky. In the end building or buying cost about the same. And now we get it the way we want it.

Good luck with yours.

1 hour ago, laudropb said:

Good luck with the house move Wim.

Thanks. Your phrasing reminded me of what they're doing in Kiruna. Due to the large mine, they have to move the entire town. Some houses are really moved from one location to the other.

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Nice one Wim,

Save money on architect's fees and copy an existing design...

Problem is that heating cost is through the roof (literaly). Besides, my 150PDS would get lost in that attic.

An obsy is on my wish list, though.

[Ludd]

4 hours ago, DaveS said:

And good luck to you as well.

Where (Roughly) are you moving to? I have medium term plans to sell up here and move to a dark-ish area in Dorset, mainly for the climate.

We're a bit tied to my work, so not as far as I might like for astronomy and cycling purposes, but for the time being it is a quiet dark village near Wallingford, a house next to an orchard with an unobstructed view to the south across fields.

[DaveS]

That sounds great, especially the unobstructed south view.