I credit my wife for the name Obsession. When I was building my first dob, a 20 incher, she screamed down the basement stairs “are you working on that damn telescope again?  You’re obsessed with it.”

I’ve built scopes from 4 inches to 36ers.  In 1997 I released THE DOBSONIAN TELESCOPE, a  manual to build larger aperture telescopes by Kriege and Berry. My scopes are the most copied dobs on the market by ATMs and professional TMs.  I Spend as much time as I can in the House of Obsession, my 26 x 27 foot roll off roof observatory near my home with my 25″ inside.

My Favorite star party is Okie-tex.  My favorite observing is deep sky objects. Favorite telescope is my 25″ Classic that I built in 1989. My future plans are to retire from dentistry so I can cut back to full-time work making scopes.

Below is an interview that Dave Kriege was part of:

Here is some more info from an interview:

The Dave Kriege interview…

Clayton: How did you first become interested in astronomy?

Dave: When I was in 8th grade, my father and I made a 4 inch reflector for a science project. One look at the stars and I was hooked.

Clayton: Do you think that by becoming involved in astronomy and building your on line of scopes, it has somehow changed a direction in your life?

Dave:

Hmmm, I a dentist by education. Been doing teeth for 33 years. Dentistry is all negatives. Patients don’t like to go to the dentist, they don’t like the expense, it’s an inconvenience. Telescopes and astronomy are the opposite. People love deep sky views thru a big dob. They want to spend the money and they enjoy the wonder and beauty of the universe. The two careers balance each other.

Clayton: Have you ever dabbled in astrophotography?

Yes, with film. I never understood the appeal. There are so many awesome astrophotos taken by major observatories, the Hubble, and people with advanced equipment. Why try to copy their work. It’s like everyone standing on the exact same spot taking photos of the Washington monument. I agree with John Dobson who said “astrophotography is a disease”. I prefer aperture fever and real time photons on my retina.

Do you own different telescope designs other than Dobsonians?

Dave:

No. Nothing beats a dob when it comes to aperture per dollar. The whole reason to have a telescope is to see the universe better. Nothing else does this better for the money than a dob.

Clayton: You seem to be very proactive in making better scopes…. what’s new on the horizon for “Obsession Telescopes”, or is this top secret?

Dave:

Adaptive optics, real time CCD eyepieces (no camera or laptop needed), large aperture telescopes that can be folded up and taken on airplanes.

Clayton: Tell us a bit about your observing sessions. What are you hunting?

Dave:

A typical night warms up with a few celestial celebrities. For example M35 and neighboring cluster, the Dog bone, Medusa, M42, Thors helmet, the trio in Leo, etc. Then when my eye/brain is up to speed I go for obscure objects featured in the magazines, news, field books.

I try to find at least one really new cool object each time I go out.

Clayton: Tell us why Okie Tex is your favorite star party (mine too). What’s so special about it?

Dave:

Very dark, relaxed laid back crowd, wifi on the field, perfect time of year with perfect observing climate, only 1000 miles from home, plenty of space to spread out my rig, scope, and party tent.

Clayton: What other star parties do you attend annually? TSP?

Dave:

The Two Hearted River Star party in the UP of Michigan, Astrofest occasionally. TSP is great but it’s to far for me.

Clayton: I’d like to know a little about your old telescope that you use nightly. Is it much different than what your selling today?

Dave:

My personal scope is a 25 f/5. I built it in 1989. It was Obsession #2. Obsession #1 was a 20″ I brought to Astrofest in 1987 that appeared on the cover of the old Telescope Making Magazine. My 25″ has over 50000 miles on it to star parties around North America, billion of light years worth of photons, and thousands of hours of astronomy enjoyment. Nebulae, globulars, galaxies come screaming out of the eyepiece. After 23 years I still get excited every time I use it. My Classic production line of dobs is identical in design but have much better fabrication. My House of Obsession is a 26 x 27 foot roll off roof observatory in my yard. It has warm room and enough space for my scope and gear. The roof can be opened or closed with only one hand. I love it out there.

Clayton: It seems in recent years that the younger people are not that interested in amateur astronomy. How can we turn this around?

Dave:

Good question. Young people prefer to interact with the world thru electronic displays. Cell phones, ipads, computers, video games, etc.

They will only be interested in astronomy on a display. Observing on a display (tv, laptop) from remote telescopes on mountain tops would be a good start. World class equipment, observations from pristine dark sites, all streamed to your living room on your tv or laptop. Wouldn’t that be cool.

Clayton: How would you like to see your own astronomy grow?

Dave:

After I cut back to full time work (instead of 80 hours per week now) I want to go to more dark sites, more star parties, and actually try to do the M objects and Herschel list. I’ve seen many thousand of objects and my Uranometria volumes are chock full of notes. But I want to systematically do the lists. I also plan on taking some astronomy courses at UW Madison.

Clayton: Do you have any helpful advice to pass on to observers just starting out in astronomy?

Come on over and I’ll give you a tour of the universe. Beginners need to find an enthusiastic “big brother”. Someone that can help them get started and out under the stars.

How about ATM’s?

Make the biggest scope you can afford and are comfortable using. Nobody ever regrets aperture.

Dave:

Clayton: Is there an email address that you have that a Houston Astronomical Society member could contact you for an additional question or two?

Dave:

telescopes@netwurx.net

Clayton: Thanks Dave for taking the time to share your interest and thoughts within our HAS newsletter, ‘The Guide Star’. We wish you luck with all of your astronomy interests. Please come visit our society when in the Houston area, we’d love to see you.

Dave:

Clear skies always,

Dave:

My pleasure.

DAVE K

Click the link below to view a picture of Dave and one of his finely crafted Obsession Telescopes with a Feather Touch focuser.

Dave Kriege link

City: Canberra Australia

State: Australian Capital Territory

Country: Australia

Occupation: Artist

Family: Married, no kids

Hobbies: Astronomy, photography

How did you get started into Astronomy: I’ve always had a fascination with optics even when I was a child though we didn’t have the kind of money that was required to buy such things when I was growing up. i didn’t get my first telescope until I was perhaps 10 or 11. It was a 40mm refractor with variable magnifications of 15, 30 and 45x produced by pulling out a draw tube. I still remember the first time I saw saturn through that scope!

Telescope models that you have owned: 40mm refractor followed the ubiquitous 60mm refractor that was the workhorse telescope of my adolescence. Then much later in life once I’d made my fortune and took up astronomy again, TEC 140 and TEC 200mm apo refractor objective in a custom made OTA.

Your favorite Feather Touch product: 3.5″ focuser

FeatherTouch products you have owned &/or currently own: 3.5″ focuser x2. One on my TEC 140 and the other on the “Great Wetherell refractor” as the big scope is fondly known

Favorite item(s) to view in the sky: M57 Ring nebula (horribly placed from my location but still impressive) eta carinae nebula and star (one of the very best diffuse nebulas in the sky) 47 Tucanae (stunning globular – best in the sky in my opinion) and of course the moon and planets

Your dream telescope: Pretty happy with the scope I have but I do dream of a decent dark sky to use it under

Where do you turn to if you have astronomy questions: manufacture websites, website forums, Astronomy magazines, or fellow astronomers: Cloudy nights generally

I really enjoy the concept of the telescope as a work of art in itself, not just as a tool for viewing the sky. To me half the fun of amateur astronomy is playing with the toys.

Please click the below link to see some of Tim’s amazing projects

Oddie2 Refractor