Obsy for the rich and famous

[gorann]

I just started on building a second obsy next to the old one, so I can double my efforts on the few clear nights I get. Thought it could be considered a bit extravagant but then I found this one:

https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1694189/super-deluxe-home-observatory#&gid=1&pid=1

By the way, this is what my second obsy looks like right now (with the first one in the background).

Edited April 23, 2019 by gorann

[JamesF]

I wonder how many urban dwellers "with a passion for stargazing, lunar observing, deep-space observing and astrophotography" will want to spend HK$170m on an observatory that in all likelihood will suffer from massive light pollution rather than building one somewhere with dark sky?  Particularly in Hong Kong, which is allegedly the most light-polluted city in the world.

Shame they don't seem to be aware of the difference between astronomy and astrology, either.

That article gives me the impression that it has been designed by someone with a very small amount of knowledge and no understanding whatsoever.

But never mind that :)  Good luck with your new build.  If it goes well perhaps you'll be able to sell it to someone for a knock-down bargain price of HK$160m :)

James

[Paz]

What if you put the observatory on top of the tallest building in Hong Kong, how much would that assist with dodging light pollution?

[JamesF]

51 minutes ago, Paz said:

What if you put the observatory on top of the tallest building in Hong Kong, how much would that assist with dodging light pollution?

No idea.  But tall buildings are designed to be able move around in the wind and can do so quite a bit, so I'm not sure they'd make a particularly good observing platform.

James

[gorann]

1 hour ago, Paz said:

What if you put the observatory on top of the tallest building in Hong Kong, how much would that assist with dodging light pollution?

The one would run into a second problem: tall buildings need to ge elastic so the top of skyscrapers sway quite a bit - probably not ideal for astrophotography at least.

[wimvb]

I see two problems with that design:

1. The pier block is way too heavy for the floor.

2. The scope is too low under the dome.

Definitely not worth its price. I pass.

?

[Zakalwe]

It looks like Homer Simpson's car design., i.e. designed by someone with not a clue!

[Macavity]

The "Greenhouse Effect" of the transparent dome etc.
I would always hate being observed, while observing. ?

I do sometimes "covet" a (flat top) roof observatory... ? 
Despite the known / specific objections to such things?

Edited April 23, 2019 by Macavity

[IanL]

"HK$10M of Astrological Equipment"

[JamesF]

7 minutes ago, IanL said:

"HK$10M of Astrological Equipment"

Quite.  It's not clear if that's down to the author of the piece or the architects.  If the latter then I think it's abundantly clear that they have no business designing an observatory.

James

[Davey-T]

I have an old issues of S&T somewhere featuring one of our American cousins house built around a rooftop observatory, it has a large circular solid concrete centre up through the house with obs'y on top.

Dave

[gorann]

On 22/04/2019 at 20:28, wimvb said:

I see two problems with that design:

1. The pier block is way too heavy for the floor.

2. The scope is too low under the dome.

Definitely not worth its price. I pass.

?

I agree that the scope seems a bit low unless you are only interested in zenith - but who cares when you have a karaoke bar!

[barkis]

That looks ridiculous to me. More to impress his pals than a practical Observatory, it has too many distractions to maintain an interest in Astronomy.  More money than sense springs to mind 

Ron.

 

[Geoff Barnes]

On ‎23‎/‎04‎/‎2019 at 04:28, wimvb said:

I see two problems with that design:

1. The pier block is way too heavy for the floor.

2. The scope is too low under the dome.

Definitely not worth its price. I pass.

?

I'll add a third;

3. Both staircases are dead ends, they don't go anywhere. ?

[Gina]

I think it's just a fantasy. 

[JamesF]

55 minutes ago, barkis said:

More money than sense springs to mind 

Ron.

I'm inclined to believe that's their target market.

James

[wimvb]

Reading the article, it seems that the architect had given some thoughts to the gear:

- Dome from Pier-Tech

- Mount from Astro-Physics

- Telescope with carbon tube from RCOS.

It didn't say what brand cigars or sort of wine, though.

[Mognet]

10 hours ago, Geoff Barnes said:

I'll add a third;

3. Both staircases are dead ends, they don't go anywhere. ?

I suspect the staircase is a spiral round the inside of the building. Otherwise there's no way to get to the scope.

Can't see any way of getting into the dome though, or to get the scope up to that level

[JamesF]

16 minutes ago, Mognet said:

I suspect the staircase is a spiral round the inside of the building.

I assumed that to be the case, though in this particular example I'd not be surprised if the architect had decided to ping people up to the top floor on a length of elastic.

James

[Mognet]

33 minutes ago, JamesF said:

I assumed that to be the case, though in this particular example I'd not be surprised if the architect had decided to ping people up to the top floor on a length of elastic.

James

Lengths of elastic are probably an optional extra ?

[SIDO]

That's a pretty tiny scope for such a grand observatory, might be better to look for an architect with bigger hands ?

[wimvb]

2 hours ago, SIDO said:

That's a pretty tiny scope for such a grand observatory, might be better to look for an architect with bigger hands ?

Yes, but remember that this house is all about social life. A starparty here is more about meeting many friends and smoking cigars/drinking wine under the stars, than it is stargazing together. The pier probably also doubles as a table.

[LukeSkywatcher]

A bar on the ground floor?. I'd never make it to the scope, because the stairs on all floors don't connect.

Edited April 25, 2019 by LukeSkywatcher

[SIDO]

25 minutes ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

A bar on the ground floor?. I'd never make it to the scope, because the stairs on all floors don't connect.

This is ment to be some weird sort of "out of scale with itself" cut away drawing so intoxication might have more consequences in the final build than pictured, do take plenty of money I think the drinks may be pricey and so will the valae parking...

[Gina]

It's a cross-section drawing except for the dome.  Well, I say "drawing" with tongue in cheek!  More a sort of "artist's impression" by a failed artist.  The dome isn't over the telescope so no views would be available (or very restricted).