Patent ID: 8033060

Claim:
A personal observatory structure, comprising: a) a base having an open top; and b) a hemispherical dome having a center point, the dome being shaped to be mounted upon the base and to selectively enclose the open top; c) wherein the dome comprises a first dome segment having a spherical inner surface extending at a first radius from the center point, and a second dome segment having an outer surface extending at a second radius from the center point, the second radius being smaller than the first radius; and d) wherein the first dome segment and the second dome segment are connected together by pivotal connectors for movement about a pivot axis so that one of the dome segments can be pivoted about the pivot axis between a lowered position in which the dome segments together enclose the open top, and a raised position in which one of the dome segments nests within the other; e) wherein the base comprises an upwardly extending cylindrical top collar portion, and the dome is mounted on the top collar portion; f) wherein the base comprises a cylindrical outside wall, and wherein the top collar portion extends upwardly from the outside wall; and g) wherein the base is a modular base, and the cylindrical outside wall comprises a plurality of curved interlocking wall panels, wherein each of the wall panels interconnects with an adjacent one of the wall panels to form the outside wall.