In my presentation to the San Jose Astronomical Association, I walk through the critical components that separate successful observatory builds from costly mistakes. You'll discover why soil drainage matters more than you think, how WUI fire codes impact your material choices, and different foundation approaches that actually work in different conditions.

Whether you're planning your first observatory or reconsidering a failed project, this video covers the architectural realities to help you get started designing your own observatory.

You've just spent thousands of dollars on the perfect telescope setup at what seems like an ideal dark-sky site. The stars are out, equipment humming, but something's terribly wrong — the stars won't stop dancing, and that crisp planetary detail you've dreamed of looks like a watercolor left in the rain. Welcome to the harsh reality of astronomical seeing, where a $2,000 concrete pad can destroy the performance of any telescope. Most amateur observatory builders focus entirely on equipment while completely ignoring the invisible microclimate they're creating around their telescope — a costly mistake that turns dream observatories into expensive sources of frustration.

Your expensive telescope setup could perform like a beginner scope if you choose the wrong location. While most amateur astronomers obsess over equipment specs, the biggest factor determining image quality happens before you even break ground. Here's what really matters when selecting your observatory site—and why that 'perfect' spot in your backyard might be sabotaging your stargazing goals.