Lights in your observatory?

[maw lod qan]

Do you have any lights inside or do you just use your headlamp?

Recently I've found that even during the daytime,  if the door is closed it is very dark in mine.

I went out while it was raining to find a small leak. Just as soon as I closed the door, it was too dark to find the leak!

I'm considering some red leds, perhaps with an adjustable switch.

[Budgie1]

I found the same with my ROR shed so I got a solar powered LED shed light. It has three brightness settings (no red LED's) but I have to disconnect the power cable from the solar cell during the day because the light won't work while it's charging.  

The details and a UK link is here:

 

[saac]

I have a string of LED white lights that I use once a session is over and I need to tidy up or close the obsy down - without them I find like you the obsy is just too dark.  Once up and running I have a single red LED that I'll use as an when needed, it's quite low power. 

Jim 

[AstroKeith]

41 minutes ago, maw lod qan said:

Do you have any lights inside or do you just use your headlamp?

Recently I've found that even during the daytime,  if the door is closed it is very dark in mine.

I went out while it was raining to find a small leak. Just as soon as I closed the door, it was too dark to find the leak!

I'm considering some red leds, perhaps with an adjustable switch.

I use a RGBW LED strip. It goes all the way around the ledge just under my dome. A simple controller allows any colour or brightness to be set. Amazon etc have lots of examples.

The red isnt a very deep red, but on dim its pretty good. I then turn it off for real faint challenges.

[Rusted]

10' DIY dome with bi-parting shutters. I have a light bulb inside the top of the 14' pyramidal pier as I climb up though it via the stepladder. 
A string of red LEDS on the base ring. Only bright enough for avoiding walking into it! Rather disappointing. I hoped for much brighter.
Two LED white light bulbs overhead for working on the mechanics with the shutters closed. Led table lamp on the computer desk.
The 24" monitor[s] provide some light at night but I am mostly solar or occasionally lunar imaging. No DSOs.
[Currently resting as I pretend to make slow progress on my 14' fibreglass dome] Crane needed to hoist it onto my 2 storey building.

[callump]

I fitted decking led's into a shelf - leds came in pack of 10 x 15mm - a set of white and red. Separately switchable.

/callump

[scotty38]

Just a string of christmas tree fairy leds in mine...

[Carbon Brush]

Maybe too much...
I have two long LED fluorescent replacements for when I am doing serious dismantling/mending work.
They were cheap and easy to fasten in place.
A small strip fluorescent is enough to see for tidying up after observing.

[maw lod qan]

Thanks for all the replies. 

[DaveS]

I have a warm white LED string around my RoR for work with the roof closed and a deep red string just over the area where the keyboard and monitor sit if I need to do anything local at night, though during imaging I will be connecting remotely.

[malc-c]

I have a chain of four 300mm white LED strips all fed via an inline dimmer  with an on/off switch in the scope side, with a normal 40 lamp in what was the warm room.  When I uses to use the scope it was done remotely from the lounge so no need for any red lights when in operation.

[Graeme]

My ROR has a line of keypad controlled RGB LEDs down one side. And I have a GU10 over the desk that's switched from the door. But I might change that to something brighter because the LEDs are bright enough when imaging and something brighter when required would be useful sometimes.

 

Graeme

[Macavity]

Belated P.S.  I put *RED* led strips (actually modules) on wood battens - to point downwards.
They are half way up the walls, shielded by (also wood) covers, so mostly illuminate the Floor!
That way I can "see to do things" and avoid tripping over / treading on stuff. 😏

Obsy Walls are "Duck Egg" (Light) BLUE, which shows (by chance!) BLACK under Red light. 😎

I also have remote switchable *IR* Spot Lights plus low level Video Cameras
for monitoring scope orientation - From my days as a " Video Astronomer". 😉

Edited August 23, 2023 by Macavity