Introduction
		Back	TOC	Foward

One of the big advantages of an observatory is that you can now install your equipment on a pier, i.e., a permanent vertical pipe. No more tripod legs to trip over in the dark! But you will find few issues that bring forth higher levels of astronomical passion than "what is a good pier design?" Many people believe that a pier has never been built that is too strong or too rigid. Indeed, "mine is bigger than yours" is a common element in pier design discussions.

It is certainly true that a big, strong pier almost always will give good performance. However, in many cases, the astronomer does not have the luxury of constructing a conventional steel and concrete pier. This is particularly true for observers who install a dome on their home. This chapter discusses many aspects of pier design, and provides suggestions for a variety of installations both in the ground, and on buildings. We also discuss some of the ways you can construct a pier - including the plate that holds your telescope mount - without having access to a machine shop.

A pier, i.e., a column with no outrigger legs, is preferred to a tripod because it takes less space, can be more stable, and can carry more weight. The purpose of the pier is to support the mounting and the telescope so that when the telescope is directed toward a particular object, you can observe without interference from the outside world. The "outside world" can include movement of the observer or guests, wind, temperature changes, and movements of the structure on which the pier is located. For purposes of this discussion, we will treat a tripod as simply one type of pier. However, in general, a tripod is placed on the observing floor, and is subject to all the movements of the floor. In contrast, although a pier can be constructed on a floor, it is usually independent of or isolated from the floor.

		Back	TOC	Foward