12.12.2020 Bigger dome? New building? But where?

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Saturday 12th. Continuing the inner discussion on the benefits and drawbacks of a new observatory:

Instead of extending the octagon and replacing its plywood dome I could start from scratch. Building anew slightly further to the west. This would not recycle the existing materials but would allow me to continue using the old observatory while I built the new one. 

I'd need far more gravel to bring up the ground level to match the rest. The increased cost is almost unnoticeable in the grand scheme of things. It might give me fewer building problems. A neat ring of concrete anchors for the 4x4 upright posts is much easier to set out accurately on bare ground. Running a radius rod from within the existing building would be very difficult.

However, unless I make the new, supporting building much taller, the old observatory will block my view to the east. I will miss the rising sun and arguably the best seeing conditions of the day. I'd need to duplicate the piers and possibly the mountings if I wanted to use both observatories. 

The new dome would be far less visible from the distant road. Allowing for a possible white dome. Where green is more desirable for invisibility in the more exposed, present position. I'd need to climb a stepladder in the new position to check for unforeseen drawbacks. The sun would be over the house roof for far longer. Increasing the risk of many more hours with poor seeing. Due to thermals rising off the roof. 

There is the possibility of  building a new observatory in a small gap right on the southern border nearer the house. However, this would be far more visible to our neighbour. Whose home is only about 100 meters across the almost bare, horse grazing pasture. The present observatory is invisible from his home because our own home lies between us.

 There are more trees to the east and west but much better sky across the south. How would I feel if somebody put up a large dome facing straight across at me? I know that my telescopes can't be used for spying on the neighbours but they wouldn't know that. Nor probably understand this detail. If it was a white dome it would spoil their view of our extended wall of trees from his own viewpoint. While it would not need planing permission, due to allowable expansion, it would be highly visible from the road. I much prefer to have my hobby and its buildings pass unnoticed.

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