SANDILANDS OBSERVATORY...

Welcome to the site of the Sandilands Observatory, located at the eastern edge of  the Sandilands Forest Reserve. This area provides an abundance of clear nights with absolutely no light pollution. I am in the process of constructing a roll off roof observatory which will save me having to drag my LX90 back and forth and will allow me to spend more time exploring the skies.

People often ask me what is the fascination with Astronomy, and I guess it is just something that either grabs hold of you or doesn't. I had a DOB about 30 years ago and it was not much "fun" to work with. The ever increasing time of a new family made it impossible to spend any time with the DOB and I don't even know what became of it. Imagine my surprise, when after a 30 year hiatus I started reading the Astronomy books and discovered the advances that had been made. The newer scopes, with all their technology built-in, allows me to get right into what I want to do most. With the cool spring and autumn nights, and the absolutely freezing winters in Manitoba, no one wants to spend time fiddling with numb fingers. The new technology allows me to do it from the comfort of my living room if I choose to spend the money and invest the time.

What began this past summer as a rekindling of a hobby I hadn't touched for 30 years, soon had me scrambling to get up to speed on the latest this amazing hobby has to offer. If I am not outside peering into the scope, I seem to be home pounding away on the keyboard, trying to get answers to all the questions that spring to mind. With the evolution of the internet, and the incredible willingness of fellow astronomers to share their knowledge, I find this a super way to pass the time and increase my knowledge of a fascinating science. The dedication these hobbyists put in and the unselfish sharing of their knowledge and experiences has made this a truly remarkable education.

For now, I will be happy with a roll-off-roof and dark skies.