The newest trend in luxury building seems to be having your own astronomical observatory. That’s right – observatories, complete with a dome and high powered telescope, are becoming more and more popular additions to luxury homes across the country. Some planned communities are even offering them as options in their stock home plans.

Observatories do not come cheap. A high-end project may run you well over a quarter of a million dollars (including high tech equipment that can range from $10,000 to well over $200,000). Total budgets typically range between $50,000 and $500,000 depending on size, equipment, and complexity.

These observatories are often on par with those at research facilities and museums; most have computerized systems that will actually rotate the dome to point at exactly what the observer wants to see; others allow owners to view real-time views remotely from anywhere they have an Internet connection.

Light pollution is an issue, which makes a second home observatory a perfect option for city dweller astronomy buffs. Most rural properties don’t have serious light pollution issues (and often if they do, they’re caused by the owner’s own outdoor lights, a situation that is easily remedied).

For more information on this new design trend, click here to read the full article from the New York Times.

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Filed under: Design