Why did I sell Orion?
I have had lots of people ask me why I sold my interest in Orion Observatory in New Mexico, where I was one of the founding members and designers/builders. I guess it is so impressive to look at that other imagers are puzzled by my decision to sell my interest! There is no single simple answer, rather it was a combination of things.
- I decided that, for me, astronomy is a hobby and should not be an obsession. As such, it should not demand "Orion" levels of time and money.
- I have "been there and done that" when it comes to notoriety, being published, etc. so can produce all the images I now require from home.
- Unlike the other members (who mostly live in big cities), I can do pretty decent imaging from my backyard.
- I was tired of the several trips per year to do maintenance - blame the miserable airlines and my bad back for this!
- My emphasis recently has been on quality, not quantity (any fool can take lots of average images) and Raptor Ridge is more suited to experimentation and the pursuit of quality than Orion, since it is easier to precisely control the variables and/or modify equipment configuration where equipment is hands-on accessible 24/7.
- I just could not justify the Orion investment, which was substantial, given the above.
I certainly wish the new owner and the other founding members the best with Orion!
It is impressive and I am sure it will generate many images and a lot of good times!
These pages created and maintained by William McLaughlin
All images copyright William McLaughlin
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