FLORISSANT • For nearly 40 years, the Las Brisas Observatory has stood the test of time — and weather.

“It has been swamped in a flood, evacuated for a forest fire, and survived heavy winds that destroyed a nearby modular home,” said Paul Signorelli, who owns the observatory in Las Brisas Ranch in Florissant.

Built as a field station in 1982 by Alan Raycraft, a former Teller County resident, the structure of plywood shipping crates sports a Masonite dome that rides on 140-yearold golf balls.

Signorelli bought the observatory in 1986 on the Spanish Las Brisas (“the breezes”) Ranch at an elevation of 8,550 feet.

In an April 16, 2019 blog for “Sky & Telescope: The Essential Guide to Astronomy,” Signorelli cited the telescope, a Celestron 14inch Schmidt-cassegrain with an 8-inch Schmidt camera mounted on a concrete pier.

According to the blog, the observatory, at age 40, has withstood temperatures as low as -20 and as high as 80 degrees with only slight damage to the electronics. Hail has damaged the Masonite dome, but repairs have kept it water tight. As well, the extreme temperature range has exploded a few golf balls over the years, delaminated some of the plywood, and cracked some of the glued braces.

What Signorelli refers to as the “Administration Building,” is a 21-foot trailer that has heat and a humidifier. “The subzero temperatures and low humidity at this altitude is hard on your lungs. There is no need for a refrigerator; instead, we have a ‘Hot Box’ to keep things from freezing,” he said.

Signorelli cites age and a reluctance to climb ladders as reasons for selling the landmark. He has put the observatory and its 2.3 acres of land on the market for $49,000. To date, he’s had just one bite from a potential buyer who lives in Texas.

For information, email Signorelli at w0rw1@ msn.com.

Paul Signorelli cites age and a reluctance to climb ladders as reasons for selling the landmark. He has put the observatory and its 2.3 acres of land on the market for $49,000.