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OBSERVING CHAIR - AN INTRODUCTION
Right: Observer's Chairs with white chair seat adjusted up the rail to full height, the other nearly at the lowest position (52,067 bytes). The author of this article has found himself standing for hours at a telescope, lost in the experience and with no sense of discomfort until rather suddenly - possibly four or five hours into an observing session, I felt a distinct lower back ache; by then it was too late to salvage the rest of the evening. And I would find myself trying to improvise some platform to to sit on near the telescope. The thought of taking a chair into the field used to come to me, but then I would dismiss taking a chair because of the bulk - I am already hauling a load of telescope, mount, accessories, and other cases that nearly fill my vehicle, how could I fit a chair? Other amateur astronomers shared my experience, and a few of them took it upon themselves to produce observers chairs. The basic characteristics of a good observing chair has been pretty well met with the Starbound chairs we offer:
Left: Observers Chair rear right view, note seat seat support bar pressing against the tubular frame rail. (44,924 bytes). Observers Chair Arrangement: The comfort of the chair is attributable to the durable vinyl covered foam cushion padding of the seat, the back support provided when the seat is at low to medium heights, and the feeling of security since the chair legs have a good spread front to back and left to right. The chair steel tube frame is machined, formed, and welded where needed. All hardware is stainless steel in order to insure a lifetime of observing service. The seat is bolted securely onto a metal horn-shaped Angular Frame that extends from below the seat at either side, to behind the tubular Frame Rail. A rigid padded Support Bar is slipped into place between the left and right Angular Frame behind the tubular Frame Rail. Two large hand knob bolts pass through either side of the Angular Frame to hold the Support Bar in place. It now becomes a simple matter to pull the set up or down along the frame to adjust height; the observers weight will keep the seat in place while the padded Angular Frame and Support Bar provide the friction needed to preclude accidental slipping of the seat (as is common on some competing seats). It is a simple matter to remove the seat pad from the metal support horns and have it recovered if in a hundred years or so your fashion taste changes. The patented Observers Chair is manufactured and assembled entirely in the USA, and remains available from Company Seven in either black or white. The textured finish is durable, and provides a comfortable hand grip. While white is most likely to show minor nicks and dings or dirt more so than black, in a very dark location a white chair is notably easier to find.
* Specifications are subject to change without notice.
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There are a number of accessories that an amateur astronomer may buy. Many of the accessories will seem obviously important and have a place directly on a telescope, others like a chart or 
The chair that has come the closest to meeting these requirements has been the Starbound chairs. Although we have been offered the opportunity to offer chairs that have since been developed that mimic the Starbound model, most made to a different standard overseas - only the Starbound chairs have been BRUCE TESTED and passed, if you know Bruce - then you will understand that he is a man who carries quite a lot of weight around our organization, and he is arguably among the most severe "critics" of chairs.
Left: View of Observers Chair with seat removed and set aside, frame folded flat for storage (35,713 bytes).
