In May 2011, I wrote an article for Sky and Telescope about my observatory. Here is an excerpt:
As a teenager, I started grinding mirrors and building telescopes because my dreams always exceeded my budget. My projects include a 16-inch Newtonian reflector and backyard observatory finished in the 1980s, and a 32-inch Newtonian and another observatory built in the ‘90s. When my wife, Joyce, and I planned a move to Gloucester, Massachusetts (her for the natural beauty of the beach, and I for the darker sky), we agreed that an observatory would be an integral part of our new house.
Given today’s plethora of commercial telescopes, some people wonder why I still build my own. The answers are simple: for large telescopes, it can be very cost effective, you control the quality, and there’s real pride in making and using your own instrument.
Photos
If you would like to read the full article, here is the PDF.
Other Related Articles:
Boston.com “Eyes on the Skies”
NY Times “Adding an Extra Room for the Sky”
Bostoniano ‘Mario Motta’s passion is “written in the stars”’