Horizontal Heavens Observatory "...From  A Galaxy Far, Far Away"
Clear Sky Chart  

This page was last updated on 03/30/11.

Local Conditions of area:

Horizontal Heavens Light Pollution Map in Texas

The Observatory Project -- Inside the Dome

More Information: 

Dome Interior *includes metal pier construction and dome control system

Observatory Plans

Observatory Concrete Construction

Elevated Building Construction

HD-10 Dome Construction

Light Polluting Neighbor

Back To The Observatory Project

(Below) New Pier materials for my new Mountain Instruments-250 mount.  Pier pipe is 85" tall, 8.5" OD and 8.0"ID. The pipe will be cut down to 50" plus the 1/2" of plate for 50.5" Pier height.  Plate is 1/2" thick and this piece weighs in at 233lb!  There is enough plate here to complete at least three and possibly 4 pier bases.  

(Below) Current "offset" pier on left and center.  Earlier, first pier is on right.  I needed the offset to place the fork-mounted scope in center of dome.  Dome-centered concrete pier will allow for the eventual use of a German Equatorial Mount such as the Losmandy HGM Titan.

(Below) Metal Pier Construction, 3-20-2005.  Larry Dickinson has been busy welding away on Horizontal Heavens new permanent pier.  Interesting configuration with sliding pier sleeves, allows for an adjustable height change of nearly 2 feet.  Early pier top on left, base center and CURRENT flat top pier for SuperWedge on right.