First Observatory

My first observatory was an "open air" type. This image is from an article in the March 1975 Sky & Telescope Magazine.  The article describes the sack as made from canvas.  My design included six brass grommets around the opening.  After placing the sack over the pier, a chain was threaded through the grommets, and the opening chinches under a flange at the bottom of my pier.  A small lock then prevented the sack from being taken off by "unauthorized" persons.   I used this set-up for my 6-inch (15cm) Dynascope that I owned between 1975 an 1978, and for my 8-inch (20cm) Dynamax SCT that I owned between 1978 and 1981.  The Dynamax then got a real dome for a home in 1981 until 1996, when I upgraded to a 12 inch LX200.