Broken Thumb Observatory

[Freff]

Steve, I was checking out how you piggybacked st80 to 200p on your website only last night. Tony, bijou is the word. I am all computer gamepad controlled and there is plenty of room in the warm room!

Jen

No offence Jen, I meant because the roof moves so easily with all the rollers it would take only the slightest to move it.

[jmfdiver]

Lol Tony It's not quite that smooth, and it is small but it will work nicely. Lets hope the weather holds today so I can get the walls on. Powertools and rain, not a good mix.

Jen

[jmfdiver]

Should have this finished today

[jmfdiver]

A bit optimistic on my part I feel.

Nearly there, a few bits and pieces to do still.

Jen

[jmfdiver]

Rubber gusset to stop horizontal rain coming in by the rollers.

Shiplapped the roof ends, those support posts are now fixed if not painted yet due to rain and the door lock is half fitted.

[jmfdiver]

Done....apart from electric which is why the floor is still up.

Welcome to Broken Thumb Observatory

Jen

[Anweniel]

Nice one Jen, that looks really smart. I would even say that I give it the thumbs up....sorry couldn't resist!

The only real question is, when are you coming to build mine?

I think you couldn't possibly go wrong with too many rollers on although I suspect my OH would have something to say if she saw me putting them on the kitchen worktops!

Is that a steel pier under wraps?

[jmfdiver]

It is an astro engineering Pier just got to wait for sparks to do leccy and I will be up and running.

[Gina]

Very good - well done

[Magnum]

You have used the same blue paint on the inside of mine.

Click on the following link for details and photos of it.

South East Kent Astronomical Society

Do you have any ventilation, as mine suffered from dew forming after really cold nights followed by warm sunny mornings, I had to put a vent at one end and a fan at the other.

You may not get this problem though as you have lots of insulation!

Lee

[jmfdiver]

Yeah Lee chose that one because it was called Martian Skies!! Like your obsy. All my soffits are open at the moment waiting to get some to fit. but there is plenty of ventilation at the moment.

Have you ever been to the dark site near the bmx track? Its on Ford Rd near the farm and the duck pond.

Jen

[Magnum]

I went to take a look on my bike last week but when I found the place there was a locked gate at the bottom of the hill, I guess this is open on the observing nights, do you drive to the top or leave the car outside the gate?

Lee

[yesyes]

Yeah Lee chose that one because it was called Martian Skies!!

Clearly, the one who gave that colour that name has never seen a Martian sky before....

[Gina]

Absolutely Chris!

[jmfdiver]

Maybe they only open it for observing nights. There are rules, no smoking because it was a tip and they have methane vents there. Chris I was wondering how Dulux knew what they looked like.

Jen

[jmfdiver]

And it all works and fits.

[jmfdiver]

Chris First Image taken in observatory with your camera.

I didn't get long due to clouds but at least I got something.

Jen

[yesyes]

Wow. That looks a lot better than any Jupiter image I ever took.... ;-)

Much more detail.....

[Gina]

Much more aperture than my scopes But good for a f5.

[Magnum]

Great first result, this is exiting watching the obs come to life.

Lee

[jmfdiver]

Although not much actual astronomy has been done in here lately, I would like to mention that is nice and dry inside. This is with horizontal rain and lots of it.

Jen

[Gina]

That's good Jen Certainly has had a good testing!