I'm planning an observatory for someone that will be based on ACP Expert. I want to 'begin with the end in mind' and specify equipment that is known to work well with ACP because it will be the heart of the observatory. The observatory will be remotely operated and therefore reliably is paramount. I'm therefore looking for recommendations from existing ACP users on what equipment is known to work well and seeking advice on the best way to configure things. I have a reasonably generous budget to work with so with that in mind, what works best?

In particular I'm looking for recommendations for:
  • Domes in the 3.5m to 4.5m (12' to 15') diameter class;
  • Dome automation systems
  • Mounts capable of carrying a 40cm/16-inch astrograph
  • Weather systems
  • Your experience of what pitfalls to avoid.


Thank you,
Tim Long.

P.S. you are welcome to email me directly if you'd rather not post here, Tim@tigra-astronomy.com