Pre-beginner telescope mount question

[erallain]

Hi, I'm building a house and hoping to install my telescope in a second floor loft. Is there any support or stability considerations I need to take. I been told I should actually have a post extending from the basement floor up to the second floor loft......and mount the scope on this. Is this overkill. I hope it is. I've never owned a scope and hope this could become a retirement hobby.

[Dave Mitsky]

What kind of telescope and what kind of observing are you intending to do? Is imaging in your plans? Besides the very important question of the problems involved in mounting the scope, there is the issue of heat emanating from the house ruining your "seeing".

An outside observatory is probably a far easier route to take.

Dave Mitsky

[Tucson_Tim]

I remember reading an article in Sky and Telescope many years ago about a guy that put an observatory on his roof and installed a 3 ft diameter reinforced concrete pillar from the basement to the roof - not a cheap addition. Now this was on top of the roof and I'm sure he still had problems with heat rising from the house.

I agree with Mr. Mitsky - a stand-alone observatory is the best way to go...

[erallain]

We'll then outside it will go. This is a hobby I hope to get into in a few years. I'm building the house in a few weeks and if I had to add this "pillar or post" it would be the time to do it. But it looks like heat rising from the room could be an issue...which make sense to me. I live in New Brunswick Canada. The heat is on alot. Thanks.

[Tucson_Tim]

There are plans all over the internet for building an observatory and many books also. They range from ultra-cheap (a few hundred dollars and some labor) to ultra-elaborate (the sky's the limit here).