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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Stargazing at home under $25,000 dome

FAR N.W. SIDE | Man installs $6,000 telescope in observatory built into attic

Atop John Spack's house sits a white dome that says that even though he may be a CPA by day, he is a serious stargazer at night.

When Spack remodeled his house on the Far Northwest Side last year, he decided to create an observatory. He also researched technology that would allow him to sidestep the light pollution that plagues astronomers in cities.

Spack spent $25,000 on his observatory, which was constructed in the attic of his home in the 6400 block of North Olympia. It features a $6,000 Celestron telescope.

"I'm not married, so I can do whatever I want,'' he said, with what seemed to be glee.

A remote control device opens a slit that lets him view the stars. The fiberglass dome is outfitted with a computer that enables him to photograph and view celestial objects. The dome's interior also features a Fighting Illini border. But what he is most excited about are the technological advances that help his telescope filter light pollution. "You can see the Andromeda galaxy,'' he said. "I've seen two comets here.''

Spack, 50, had a telescope as a boy, but Chicago's push for brighter street lights hampered his study of the night sky. "You live in the city, you couldn't see anything. It got put on hold,'' he said.

A few years ago, he found himself drawn to the hobby of his youth.

"He's really a pioneer," said Kris Koenig, a consultant who installed the dome. Amateur astronomers like Spack "can't travel to a dark site ... they've sought out equipment that will allow them to have an astronomical experience in an urban environment."

"He's using a HyperStar lens and video cameras that use digital technology to take a series of images and integrate them, recapturing the night sky that's being destroyed by light pollution. He's seeing, in most cases, more than what the Yerkes telescope was seeing in 1900."

Spack is believed to have the only home observatory in Chicago, said Joseph Mayer of the Chicago Astronomical Society.

"If it's 4 in the morning, if it's clear, I can go up and look,'' Spack said. "It would be nice to name a comet.''

Source: www.suntimes.com/news/metro/363863,CST-NWS-stars30.article

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I have often thought about putting a dome on top of my garage. I wonder what kind of permits are required for this?

Great that Spack built this nice observatory on his home. Looks comfy!...

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Video of John Spack's Observatory

NBC Channel 5 taped an interview of John Spack and his observatory and can be found here:

video.nbc5.com/player/?id=97196

============

An excellent way to spend $25.000 in the name of astronomy...the noblest of all the sciences!

It's a mistaken belief that due to Chicago's light polluted skies that that one cannot observe the wonders of the night sky, but a host of planets, star clusters, nebulae and other interesting targets are there to enjoy with affordable telescopic equipment that anyone can own...right under and despite the mercury vapor street lights.

I bet John Spack's equipment and wonderful neighborhood observatory displays the subtle nuances of far distant objects. I often thought about building one on top of my garage, and this is a great inspiration.

Great unique addition to the house...and being single...he can keep it a messy as he wants too!

Way to go John.

[Homer Glen]

admin said:

Stargazing at home under $25,000 dome

FAR N.W. SIDE | Man installs $6,000 telescope in observatory built into attic

Atop John Spack's house sits a white dome that says that even though he may be a CPA by day, he is a serious stargazer at night.

When Spack remodeled his house on the Far Northwest Side last year, he decided to create an observatory. He also researched technology that would allow him to sidestep the light pollution that plagues astronomers in cities.

Spack spent $25,000 on his observatory, which was constructed in the attic of his home in the 6400 block of North Olympia. It features a $6,000 Celestron telescope.

"I'm not married, so I can do whatever I want,'' he said, with what seemed to be glee.

A remote control device opens a slit that lets him view the stars. The fiberglass dome is outfitted with a computer that enables him to photograph and view celestial objects. The dome's interior also features a Fighting Illini border. But what he is most excited about are the technological advances that help his telescope filter light pollution. "You can see the Andromeda galaxy,'' he said. "I've seen two comets here.''

Spack, 50, had a telescope as a boy, but Chicago's push for brighter street lights hampered his study of the night sky. "You live in the city, you couldn't see anything. It got put on hold,'' he said.

A few years ago, he found himself drawn to the hobby of his youth.

"He's really a pioneer," said Kris Koenig, a consultant who installed the dome. Amateur astronomers like Spack "can't travel to a dark site ... they've sought out equipment that will allow them to have an astronomical experience in an urban environment."

"He's using a HyperStar lens and video cameras that use digital technology to take a series of images and integrate them, recapturing the night sky that's being destroyed by light pollution. He's seeing, in most cases, more than what the Yerkes telescope was seeing in 1900."

Spack is believed to have the only home observatory in Chicago, said Joseph Mayer of the Chicago Astronomical Society.

"If it's 4 in the morning, if it's clear, I can go up and look,'' Spack said. "It would be nice to name a comet.''

Source: www.suntimes.com/news/metro/363863,CST-NWS-stars30.article

===========

I have often thought about putting a dome on top of my garage. I wonder what kind of permits are required for this?

Great that Spack built this nice observatory on his home. Looks comfy!...

[homerglen]

Spack, 50, had a telescope as a boy, but Chicago's push for brighter street lights hampered his study of the night sky. "You live in the city, you couldn't see anything. It got put on hold,'' he said.

How about we get rid of the light pollution in the Chicago area so that those of us who do not have $25,000 can see the stars, too!!!!!!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Homerglen,

Welcome to the Chicago Astronomer family and thank you for your first post.

I disagree that one cannot see "anything" in Chicago's light polluted skies. All the major targets, (planets, Moon, many many Messier objects), can still be easily observed right under any streetlamp.

But, granted, the fainter objects and a truly dark sky brings out the glory of the heavens. The orange muck we peer through, we call "The Great Chicago Nebula", is horrible.

Addressing upward facing lighting would do much to cut down on the problem.

Homerglen,

Tell us some about yourself and your interest in amateur astronomy.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Adding an Extra Room for the Sky

At a time when amateur astronomy is becoming increasingly popular — thanks in part to the availability of high-tech equipment like digital cameras that filter out light pollution — Dr. Motta and his wife, Joyce, are among a growing number of Americans incorporating observatories into new or existing homes. Manufacturers of observatory domes report increasing sales to homeowners, and new residential communities are being developed with observatories as options in house plans.

“As the baby boomers and wealthy tech types retire, they want challenging hobbies like astronomy, and have enough cash stashed away to afford to build their own observatories,” said Richard Olson, president of the Ash Manufacturing Company in Plainfield, Ill., which makes steel domes for observatories. His customers used to be limited to academic and research institutions, but within the last five years, he said, homeowners have begun making requests, to the point where 25 percent of his sales are to people like Steve Cullen, a 41-year-old retired senior vice president of the Symantec Corporation, who is building a home and observatory on 190 acres in Rodeo, N.M.

Mr. Cullen said he chose the location because it has “some of the darkest skies and clearest weather for space photography in the U.S.” (Most sophisticated telescopes now allow for the addition of digital cameras.) He expects the total cost of his observatory, which is still under construction, to be close to $340,000, including a $225,000 telescope, but his is a high-end project.

Most home observatories have between $10,000 and $40,000 in equipment, including telescopes, computers, refractors, filters and tracking mechanisms, according to astronomy equipment retailers. The total budget for an observatory can range from $50,000 to more than $500,000, depending on how technologically advanced the equipment and the size and complexity of the structure.

Dr. Motta also photographs deep space from his home’s observatory, posting his images of distant galaxies online and publishing them in astronomy magazines and journals.

His telescope, which he constructed himself, weighs well over a hundred pounds, and would be cumbersome to move outdoors if he didn’t have an observatory. And like most sophisticated telescopes, it would also require at least an hour of careful recalibration if relocated.

“The reason why people don’t use their telescopes is they are such a pain to haul out and set up,” said John Spack, 50, a certified public accountant who had a domed observatory built on top of an addition to his house in Chicago last year. “Now, if I want to get up at 3 a.m. and look at something, I just open the shutter.”

Like observatories at research facilities and museums, most home observatories now have computers that rotate the dome so the telescope is oriented toward precisely what the user wants to see. Once fixed on a point in space, the dome continues to slowly rotate to compensate for the earth’s rotation, so whatever is in view doesn’t move out of range.

“It’s all fully automated, real high-tech,” said Mr. Spack, who estimated that he spent at least $100,000 to build and equip his observatory. Many home observatories also allow remote real-time views through the telescope from any computer with an Internet connection.

Read the entire article here:

www.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/garden/04observatories.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

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I would like a modest observatory on top of my garage...maybe next year, eh?

[bonnie]

admin said:

Video of John Spack's Observatory

NBC Channel 5 taped an interview of John Spack and his observatory and can be found here:

video.nbc5.com/player/?id=97196

============

An excellent way to spend $25.000 in the name of astronomy...the noblest of all the sciences!

It's a mistaken belief that due to Chicago's light polluted skies that that one cannot observe the wonders of the night sky, but a host of planets, star clusters, nebulae and other interesting targets are there to enjoy with affordable telescopic equipment that anyone can own...right under and despite the mercury vapor street lights.

I bet John Spack's equipment and wonderful neighborhood observatory displays the subtle nuances of far distant objects. I often thought about building one on top of my garage, and this is a great inspiration.

Great unique addition to the house...and being single...he can keep it a messy as he wants too!

Way to go John.

[bonnie]

I'd like to install the same at my house, near Palatine. Where did the observatory come from, or did Mr. Spack build it himself? I'm curious who the manufacturer is.
[e-mail]

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Bonnie,

I am impressed...and slightly jealous... , that you are contemplating an observatory of your own. Excellent!

I don't know any details of Spack's endeavour, but I would like to pay him a visit and do a story.

Soon perhaps.

Tell us of your plans for your own observatory please.