Hey! lucky you that you get to work on that!
Perhaps it's would help to provide some more information on what you're looking for might allow for some better advice.
The headaches for a small observatory for 1 rig is very different than one containing 2-3 piers.
So? Insulated? roll off roof or dome? how many rigs does it need to fit? do you want a pier? how many people does it need to fit? does it need storage and how much? any automation? remote access? Is there a power supply nearby? what's the flooring/base? How big are the scopes, are we talking a redcat51 here? or a massive newtonian? what is the budget? etc etc.
- Obviously there are companies that pre-fab the observatories, at a cost. usually thousands.
- You could also find designs online that others have used and use that. Googling "home observatory build plan" already comes up with a lot of stuff. Or same if you look for it on YouTube.
- Or modify existing sheds/builds to either put a dome on it, or "chop" the roof off, ad a frame and make it a roll off roof.
I've come across some videos on YouTube where people converted plastic/resin sheds (Keter sheds) into roll off roof observatories and it looks good.
Which interests me. light, good weather sealing, and it being plastic/resin, it won't rot.. and dirt cheap compared to wooden sheds.(and a fraction of the cost of an actual store bought observatory)
I'm afraid I don't have an observatory (yet… one day).. so I can't give you a lot of advice other than that and what I found on the interwebs.
- make sure you have enough electrical power and outlets around!! you can never have enough.
- think about the base/floor. Concrete/brick/asphalt heats up during the day, that radiating heat could create poor seeing at night around your observatory.
- locks, make sure a thief can't come in.. obviously..
- animals and bugs. try and keep them out, same for moisture. Consider a de-humidifier, and/or maybe a heater if needed.
