Welcome to Alexanders Observatories

We Build and Install Quality Roll-Off Observatories and Telescope Pedestal Mounts Anywhere in the U.K. & Europe.

Your looking for a Strong, Secure, Simple and Affordable home for your Telescopes, giving you INSTANT ACCESS to the whole sky.

An Alexanders Roll-off Observatory is the answer!

WHY?
If your looking to take Astronomy seriously, then you want to be comfortable when you spend those long hours in the dark,cold night.
Having a permanent home for your Telescope will reduce the Set-up time to a minimum and help your concentration and learning abilities.
Suitable for everyone from Amateur Astronomers, Astrophotographers, Clubs and Societies.

TELESCOPE PEDESTALS
We have designed our own range of Telescope Pedestals to mount almost any Telescope securely to the ground.
If you have a site that you regularly use for Observing, like your garden, then you would benefit from mounting your Telescope on a Fixed Pedestal.

The “Shockproof Easy - Level Telescope Pedestal” has been designed to overcome the fundamental problems encountered when using Tripods.
“Typical Telescope-Tripod Vibration” ( meade.com) is a problem suffered by many Amateur Astronomers. Astrophotographers suffer from Clarity of object problems due to the Instability of Tripods.
Portability is the only benefit of a Tripod.
After Setting up. Aligning, Double checking and finally kicking the Tripod, your just about ready to call it a night. Save yourself the bother and fit a Shockproof Easy-Level Telescope Pedestal.
Always Set-up, Always Aligned and you can kick the hell out of it and it will still be Aligned! We know, We’ve tried.

OPTIONS
We offer a choice of Sizes and designs to suit your viewing site and budget, and a custom option is also available for those of you with plans of your own.
All our Roll-Off Observatories are supplied in a range of colours to match your other garden furniture, and to look like a normal garden shed.

Our range of Observatories is continuously being updated with new ideas, so please look out for the changes, And feel free to offer any of your own ideas to the pot.

PRICING
With prices starting from £1195.00 we are confident of offering the Best home for your Telescope.

PLEASE NOTE :
There is currently NO VAT to pay on any of our products. We hope to remain that way!
Unfortunately we do have to charge for Delivery & Installation.

Observatories

6’ x 6’ Standard Observatory

Our smallest Observatory is 6’ x 6’.

Suitable for a small telescope

£1195.00

6’ x 6’ Rolling Side Observatory

Our 6’ x 6’ Observatory with a rolling side panel on either East or West side enables the user to view low to the horizon.

£1295.00

8’ x 6’ Standard Observatory

Our standard 8’ x 6’ Observatory.

£1395.00

7’ x 7’ Standard Observatory

Suitable for a small telescope

£1450.00

7’ x 7’ Rolling side

Our 7’ x 7’ Observatory with a rolling side panel on either East or West side. This is also one of our most popular designs for people with limited garden space.

£1495.00

8’ x 6’ Rolling Side Observatory

Our 8’ x 6’ Observatory with a rolling side panel on either East or West side. This is one of our most popular designs for people with limited garden space.

£1495.00

10’ x 6’ Standard Observatory

Our 10’ x 6’ Observatory allows room for a small telescope and room for limited storage.

£1495.00

10’ x 6’ Rolling Side Observatory

Our 10’ x 6’ Observatory with a rolling side panel on either East or West side.

£1595.00

8’ x 8’ Standard Observatory

Our 8’ x 8’ Observatory is the most popular size, it provides adequate room to manoeuvre, while still hiding at the bottom of the garden.

£1595.00

8’ x 8’ Rolling Side Observatory

Our 8’ x 8’ Observatory with a rolling side panel on either East or West side. A very popular Observatory for a single Telescope set-up.

£1695.00

10’ x 8’ Standard Observatory

Our 10’ x 8’ standard Observatory is big enough for most telescopes, and allows adequate storage and working space for one Telescope.

This design can be sited so the roof rolls off along the longer or shorter walls to enable the use of a wider folding flap on the souhern end.

£1695.00

10’ x 8’ Rolling Side Observatory

Our 10’ x 8’ Observatory with a rolling side panel on either East or West side.

This design is available with the roof rolling off along either the Longer or Shorter walls, so it can be sited to maximise the space available.

£1795.00

12’ x 8’ Standard Observatory

Our 12’ x 8’ Standard Observatory has room for a single Telescope and storage, or alternatively two Pedestals can be sited if the roof is rolled off along the Shorter walls.

£1795.00

12’ x 8’ Rolling Side Observatory

Our 12’ x 8’ Observatory with a rolling side panel on either the Longer or Shorter walls, depending on how it is sited.

£1895.00

10’ x 10’ Standard Observatory

Our 10’ x 10’ standard Observatory is one of our most popular sizes with single Telescope mounts.

£1950.00

10’ x 10’ Rolling Side Observatory

Our 10’ x 10’ Observatory with a rolling side panel on either East or West side provides adequate space for One Telescope mount, and gives the user access to horizon viewing if it is available to you.

£2050.00

14’ x 8’ Standard Observatory

Our 14’ x 8’ Standard Observatory provides enough room for 2 Telescopes if sited with the roof rolling off along the Shorter walls.

£2195.00

14’ x 8’ Rolling Side Observatory

Our 14’ x 8’ Observatory with a rolling side panel allows for wide angle & low horizon viewing. Two Telescopes can be mounted in this size Observatory.

£2295.00

12’ x 10’ Standard Observatory

Our 12’ x 10’ Standard Observatory gives you enough room for 2 small telescopes and allows for plenty of storage.

£2395.00

12’ x 10’ Rolling Side Observatory

Our 12’ x 10’ Observatory with a rolling side panel on either East or West side. This Observatory can be sited to have the roof rolling off along either the Longer or Shorter walls to maximise the use of the Rolling side panel.

£2495.00

14’ x 8’ Standard Observatory with 6’ Warm Room

With the increasing popularity of affordable Astrophotography equipment the inclusion of a Warm room is a necessary upgrade to provide an “Operating area” for your Telescopes.

It is possible to have a 6’ Warm Room incorporated into this Size of Observatory.

A standard 8’ x 8’ with the 6’ Warm Room on the end to operate all your electronic gadgets from.

The Roof is as one, and Rolls over the Warm Room to ensure that it is never uncovered, as a result, the Roll-off area needs only to be as large as the Observing Room.

£2495.00

14’ x 10’ Standard Observatory

One of our larger standard size observatories is the 14’ x 10’.

Big enough for two telescopes and plenty of storage space.

£2695.00

14’ x 10’ Rolling Side Observatory

One of our large Observatories with a rolling side panel. This size Observatory is big enough for two Telescopes.

£2795.00

16’ x 8’ Standard Observatory with 6’ Warm Room

Our Warm Room option is available on this Observatory.

Whilst providing a Warm, Secure, Comfortable place to do your studying, the Warm Room will be the place you can use as your Control Room.

All the usual Standard specifications with the inclusion of an additional security door between rooms.

£2795.00

14’ x 10’ with 6’ Warm Room

The Warm Room option is available on this size of Observatory.

A Standard 10’ x 8’ Observatory with a 10’ x 6’ Warm Room incorporated on the end for the operation of all your electronic gadgets.

All the usual Standard specifications with the inclusion of an additional Security door between rooms.

£2995.00

16’ x 10’ Standard Observatory

This is currently our largest standard Observatory.

This is big enough to house 2 large Telescopes and still provide plenty of room for the setting up of your computer and other gadgets.

£2995.00

16’ x 10’ with a Warm Room

This is our Largest standard size with the Warm room addition. A very popular Observatory for Astrophotographers.

It is possible to mount two Telescopes and have a 6’ Warm room area to control them.

With the increased use of Electronic Cameras and Other Technical equipment, it is becoming very popular for people to have a separate area inside their Observatory where you can have your computer and other gadgets set up.

A window is available so you can view your Telescope at work.

£3295.00

Pedestals

SHOCKPROOF EASY - LEVEL TELESCOPE PEDESTAL

Our 8" Pedestal has been designed for the larger Telescope such as the 14" Meade, or where a height beyond our normal 36-42" range is required.

We recommend the 8" Pedestal for use with all fork mounted Telescopes, as stability is the big criteria, and once installed you can upgrade your scope to your hearts content.

This pedestal is suitable for all mounts, we can supply an Adapter Plate which will accept any mount and provide the Stability your scope requires

To provide enhanced Stability for your Telescope, whatever its size, we always recommend the use of a big Pedestal like our 8".

When your Pedestal Base is lower than the Ground Level, we would recommend the use of our 8" Pedestal.

FEATURES

£550.00

Extras

ELECTRICS

We can fit sockets and light fittings in your Observatory if you like.

Our kit comprises :
1 Consumer Box, 2 Twin Sockets, 2 Light Fittings, 1 Double Light Switch & Arctic Cable throughout

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to connect your electricity supply to the Mains.This must be carried out by a Registered Electrician

£130.00

ALTERNATIVE ROOFING OPTIONS

We are able to offer a choice of different roof coverings.
Our standard roofing is sheetwood & felt.

We offer an alternative roofing material, Corrugated Bitumenous sheets, which are available in 3 colours.

An excellent alternative roofing material used on stables, garages etc.
Please add £175.00 ( up to 10’’ Roof length ) £250.00 ( up to 16’’ Roof length )

£175.00

Useful Info

DELIVERY

We charge only for the mileage covered, but we do have to include the return journey.
Delivery is charged at 45p per mile.

Where necessary, Ferry/Tunnel costs and Tolls will be added to delivery fees.

INSTALLATION

WE NOW OFFER THE OPTION OF SELF-ASSEMBLY SHOULD YOU NOT REQUIRE OUR INSTALLATION SERVICE.
PLEASE ASK US ABOUT THIS WHEN YOU PLACE YOUR ORDER.

We usually require a whole day to complete an installation, starting about 8am, after what can be… a long night on the road, followed by the return journey.

Installation is a fixed cost of £150.00 for all Observatories up to 10’ x 8’ in size, £295.00 for all larger sizes.

delivery mileage @ 45p per mile

PLEASE NOTE: It will be necessary for you to clear access to your observatory site prior to installation.
We CANNOT connect your electrics to the main supply, this MUST be done by a qualified electrician.

ORDERING

When you have decided what you would like, then please get in touch to discuss your requirements personally.

Before we build your Observatory, we do require a deposit of 30% ( approx ).
This confirms your order and your place in the queue.

We usually work to approx. 8-10 weeks lead time.

V.A.T.

We currently DO NOT charge VAT.
We hope to keep it that way, however increasing sales may change things for the next TAX year.

COLOUR RANGE

We deliver all our Observatories painted in your choice of colour from the " CUPRINOL DUCKSBACK" range.

The current options available are :

Gallery

Our original Observatory

This is our first Observatory.
Dalby Forest Starfest
We took our Observatory up to the August 2004 Starfest in Dalby Forest.

Kelling 10th equinox skycamp sept. 2004

We also took our observatory to Kelling, Norfolk for the Skycamp, where we hope to return for future events.

The Rolling side panel.

We have been able to incorporate a “Roll-off side panel”, which is attached to the roof and gives you access to the horizon on either side of the observatory as well as to the south.

Off the side.

Here we have an Observatory designed to Roll-off to the side, using the space available to its best configuration.
We can have the Roof set to Roll-off in any direction necessary to suit your location.

Side Roll-off with a Lightweight Roofing.

This is one of our 8’ x 9’ Side Roll-off Observatories, with one of the Lightweight Roofing options that are available.

Shockproof Easy - Level Telescope Pedestal

Our Pedestals are the perfect mount for Meade Telescopes.
From 8" - 14" Meade scopes, we can provide excellent Stability to enhance all those Astrophoto’s you wanted to capture.
All other scopes and Mounts can be fitted with the use of an Adapter plate, which will hold your mount securely to the pedestal.

Come inside and have a look

This picture basically shows the effect that the Folding Flap has on your viewing area.
Once the Telescope has been fitted to the Pedestal, viewing is available low to the South.

Home from Home!

After Installation, all that is left to do is Move in!
Many of our customers have Furnished their Observatories with all the toys required for a comfortable nights viewing.

THE ITALIAN JOB !

We were lucky enough to be asked by a Professional Astronomy Tutor from the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, to build a 10’ x 8’ Roll-off Observatory and take it over to his home in ITALY.
We mounted his 14" Meade Lx200 on one of our 6" Shockproof Easy - Level Telescope Pedestals, and the viewing was fantastic.

THE FRENCH JOB!

This is currently our largest Observatory. 16’ x 10’ with a Warm Room.
We were asked to build an Observatory that had a WARM Room at one end.
The Warm Room is to enable the user to set up all of their computer equipment and other gadgets, and watch the telescope do all of its work from the comfort of the chair.
There is also a 10’ x 10’ Observing Room to house the Telescopes in, so there is plenty of room to manouver.
To view pictures of the construction of this Observatory, please follow the link below to the customers own website.

Please note that the text is in French.
http://www.schalit.com/construction_observatoire.htm

We hope to be back in France soon with our partner https://www.pleine-lune.org.

Brick Base Observatory

This is one of our alternative design Observatories.
Originally a greenhouse, we rebuilt the brickwork and finished the top half with a standard observatory to make a feature of this garden building.
We added a motor to the roof which makes operating this Observatory very simple indeed.

European Observatories

We have installed Observatories in several countries across Europe and we look forward to increasing our customer base even further.
To date we have Installed Observatories in England, Scotland, Wales, Rep. of Ireland, France, Italy, Sweden, Belgium & Holland x 3.
Here’s a selection of pictures showing some of the different designs we have built for our overseas customers.

Scotland

I know Scotland isn’t exactly in Europe, but im putting this on here anyway!
This is one of our 12’’ x 8’’ Rolling side Observatories, a perfect choice for the location.
The Rolling side panel was a good choice here, making use of the low viewing available.

The Italian Job!

Italy is a fabulous place to observe from, we can’t wait to go back again.
This was one of our first overseas jobs, and it was a good trek to get there.
Situated in the hills of Tuscany, the viewing is excellent.

France

We installed our biggest Observatory overseas in France.
This Observatory is sited in a lovely countryside location, free from light pollution and has been set-up to operate by computer from another location.
No expense spared on this job, all the latest gadgets make this Observatory operate by remote, from Paris.
Very clever.

Holland

This was our first Observatory in Holland, a 14’ x 8’ Side roll-off.
To take advantage of the viewing site, 2 scopes are arranged side by side in this observatory, with the roof rolling off along the short walls.
A perfect option for this customer and a design we have copied on many occasions.
http://www.astroimaging.nl/

Rep. of Ireland

We were very happy to take one of our Observatories over to Ireland, Great hospitality and the best steak ive ever had.
This Observatory has a Warm room, our customer has good skies and loves to take pictures.

Another Dutch job!

We love Holland, and we have spent some good times there, always happy to go back.
This Observatory was designed to fit into a small space and look part of the furniture.
I think we achieved it ok.
Check it out for yourself.
http://www.sterrenwacht-wave.nl/observatory.htm

The French Alpine Observatory

We have been up in the French alps with this one, situated in the lovely mountain countryside.
We have used a metal profiled sheeting on the roof of this observatory, an alternative to the standard felt.
We look forward to returning to this one sometime soon.

Holland again

Another of our Dutch customers, this time a Rolling side panel was needed to take advantage of the viewing available in this location.

Pedestal Installation

Pedestal Fitting Template

In order to ensure that your Pedestal provides you with the stability that you require, it is essential that it is fitted correctly.

We can provide you with one of our " Pedestal Fitting Templates " , which you can submerge in the ground, this will give you a perfect base to fit your Pedestal on to.

Our " Pedestal Templates " are supplied & Delivered FREE to all our Pedestal customers upon request.

Fitting instructions are as follows:

1. Step 1
Assuming that you have already dug a deep enough hole, you will now want to fill it with concrete, and then level it off.
You will now need to assemble the Template so the arrows are roughly alligned, and the Top Disc is low enough to leave at least 6" - 150mm clear.
You will need to leave 4" - 100mm of thread clear above the ground level, so Submerge the Template in to the hole and cover with concrete taking this into account.

2. Step 2
To provide you with a perfectly flat surface to fit the Pedestal on, we Reccommend the use of a cheap, cast, paving slab.
Because they are smooth and flat ( and easy to drill through ), they are perfect for using as your surface stone.
Once you Mark Out and Drill the holes to match the Template, then you only have to Level it off when you drop in place over the Template.
Don’t forget to leave at least 2" - 50mm of thread above the Slab in order to fit the Pedestal.
Thats it, job done.

3. Step 3
As you can see from the picture above, we fit a Gasket under the Pedestal to absorb any Slight vibration which may be present in the ground, and to ensure a nice, snug fit.
Place the Pedestal over the Template and Tighten the Nuts.
You now have a perfectly fitted Pedestal which will serve you well.

Observatory Construction

The Base

All of our Observatories are supplied with their own Base.

Constructed from 3" x 2" Treated timber, and covered with a Treated Flooring Sheet, the Base will stand firm on almost any surface for many years to come.

Pedestals will be fitted below the Floor Level so that the threads are out of sight.

The Walls

The General construction of all our Observatories is done using 3" x 2" smooth planed timber.

Waterproof sheeting is fitted to the walls before we clad the outside. This will stop water from getting inside the framework and rotting it all away.

Wall Liners

We believe that an Internal wall covering is important, so this is why we cover all of the walls with a Hardboard Lining.

The Rolling Roof

Whilst we do offer you a choice of coverings for your Roof , the General construction is the same for all our Observatories.

Because the Roof is an Independent unit , we must ensure its Stability and overall Integrity, which is why it is quite a complex construction.

Despite the overall weight of the Roof , it is Relatively simple to move for any able bodied person.

You will not be Lifting the Roof on and off , you will be Rolling it along a track , which is very much easier.

The Roll - Off Support Structure

The Roof Rolls along a track which is located on the top of the Rails.

It is not always necessary for the Roof to Roll - Off completely, if you have a limited space in which to locate your Observatory, then you might be able to reduce the length of the Roll - Off Rails to a minimum in order to house a larger Observatory.

Security

We take security very seriously, we understand that you have expensive equipment inside your Observatory and you want it to stay safe and secure, which is why All of our Observatories are supplied with a 5-Lever Deadlock fitted to the door.

The Roof is locked down from the Inside using a folding Hasp Lock in all 4 corners.

We can fit extra security to your Observatory if you would like, but generally our standard security is enough.

About us

Alexanders Observatories explained

Alexanders Observatories was established in 2004.

As an amateur astronomer myself I found it increasingly frustrating spending most nights setting up and setting down my telescope.

Something I know many of you find very frustrating, to say the least!

After much searching for an answer to this problem, it became apparent that there was a missing link in the Observatory department, so I decided that it was up to me to do something about it.

After initially visiting the Dalby Starfest ( something I thoroughly recommend to anyone ) with my first Observatory, I was most grateful to get such a positive response from everyone attending, and of course my first order!

And so Alexanders Observatories was born.

It has been a massive learning curve for me since then, and I am truly grateful to all my customers for their very generous support along the way.

Although initially it was not expected to become a full time job, it has proved to be certainly a full time vocation, and again something I am very grateful for.

Driven by a passion for the skies and not money has caused a few financial issues along the way, but who cares, you only live once!

I would very much like to continue to provide fellow astronomers ( amateur & professional ) with a place to Observe the awesome power and spectacle of the universe.

In order to do this it has become necessary to bring our prices to a level that will enable a business future for us.

I know you will agree that Alexanders Observatories still remains the best choice, best priced option for your Observing requirements.

I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone who takes the time to visit my website and better still, place an order.

Thank you one and all,
Nick Evans