New Observatory Site

VERY excited about getting a new observing site to build on. This is in Anza, CA, about 30 miles from Palm Desert. This location is a good compromise between elevation (3000 ft), reasonably dark skies, and proximity to our house (about an hour away). Power is on the edge of the property and a well is already in place. Internet seems to be OK for remote control through cell coverage, and there is a Wimax provider in the area that may give service to the site for speeds above 1 mbps.

Russ,
It looks like a fine site! I hope you have many pleasurable nights using it. I like the unobstructed view, allowing observations closer to the horizon. Observing from Mt Pinos is like observing thru a fishbowl with much of the horizon lost in the tree line. Lockwood Valley is much better in this regard but you do get an awful light dome to the south from Santa Clarita and Los Angeles. Keep us posted on this one...

Hi Russ,
Looks like a very good site with a very good horizon. If I am correct on the approximate location sky is a Bortle 4 with very good southern and eastern skies. How is the southern and eastern horizon? Have you observed from there long? Nice to have utilities near by and good internet as well. Please keep us posted on your progress.
Dave

Thanks, Rod and Dave. Yes, I have an excellent view east and south. I have not observed from this site before, and don't have exhaustive experience with the city. I think the biggest issue is wind up there, which can get quite high at times. I'm electing to go with a clamshell from astrohaven instead of a dome because of the problems associated with a dome at a remote site. I will have to program the clamshell myself (meaning my programming partner Jon) to try and afford some level of wind protection by only opening the clamshell up as much as is needed to not block the telescope. I'll keep you posted.

Russ