|
Sam, you've tapped into the "almost" great australian dream. Thre are many factors that would influence this decision. Here are a few:
1. Accessibility. This is a double-edged sword. If you can reach it, so can others. The more accessible the location, the more vulnerable it will be to theft, vandalism etc. Our fellow citizens are not a uniformly honest and decent bunch!
2. Do you want an observatory as such or just a place to sling a bunk while you set up a tripod. The collateral question is how much you're willing to spend. Do you plan buying a block of dirt on some remote mountain-top, or just doing an overnight squat somewhere?
3. Power, water, telephone, internet, toilets etc. Many questions here. Many compromises.
4. Fire risk.
5. Then, the question of seeing: the usual shopping list includes, cold climate with clear skies. Light pollution is an issue now and will get worse. But you won't do much imaging below 20-25 degrees above the horizon anyway so this can be managed. And you can image in narrowband - but you can do that from the city already can't you, so why go to all this trouble?
6. OK. Locations - there are some very good observatories in the central west - sites that are relatively low but remote and cold at night. Rural areas can have their own problems of course - dust, farmers burning-off, lights from vehicles on the highways etc. The top of a remote and elevated area would be better in many ways.
7. Long-terms climate issues. It's not going to get any cooler. In fact, quite the opposite. Do you want to spend money now on a site that will be much less attractive in 10-20 years time. Will you be able to resell it readily?
Sorry to badger you with all this but this is not a one-dimensional issue.
Peter
|