Building a Roll-Off Roof Observatory: A Complete Guide for Design and Construction (The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series)

Almost every amateur astronomer who has taken the pursuit to its second level aspires to a fixed, permanent housing for his telescope, permitting its rapid and comfortable use avoiding hours of setting-up time for each observing session. A roll-off roof observatory is the simplest and by far the most popular observatory design for today’s practical astronomers.

Building a Roll-off Roof Observatory is unique, covering all aspects of designing a roll-off roof observatory: planning the site, viewing requirements, conforming to by-laws, and orientation of the structure. The chapters outline step-by-step construction of a typical building.

The author, both an amateur astronomer and professional landscape architect, is uniquely qualified to write this fully-detailed book. A professionally designed roll-off observatory could cost as much as $3000 just for the plans – which are provided free with Building a Roll-off Roof Observatory.

John Hicks is a Professor of Urban & Regional Planning, and also a qualified professional landscape architect. Based in Ontario, Canada, he is the principal and owner of John Hicks & Associates, Environmental Planners and Landscape Architects, Site Planning, Park Planning & Environmental Impact Assessment. He is also a long-time amateur astronomer and has had articles published in Astronomy, chapters in Dickinson & Dyer’s The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide, and has made contributions to various other astronomy books.