Observatory build: Some observations.

 *

Saturday: Did I ever tell the world that I hate the term "First Light?" It just sounds so.... presumptuous.

A domed observatory has a unique atmosphere. It has an air of melancholy and nostalgia reminiscent of forgotten ruins and abandoned buildings. One of those timeless, rarely visited places forgotten by man.

Clock rooms in old buildings and dusty church towers enjoy the same distinctive sense of an alien space. One, not remotely furnished for visitors but for housing the hidden needs of once vital machinery. Those which kept our cast iron, rusty pipe bends with flanges and toxically over-painted cables of yesteryear's technological world turning. Now it's all warm rooms and keyboards, rows of monitors and more cables than the untrained eye can easily take in. The back of a posh hi-fi stack writ foolishly large.

The past tense viewpoint is reinforced by the unique shape of the dome as seen from the inside. Its soaring struts and unique and obviously, wooden character smacks of bygone times. There are no sharp corners or straight lines to drag the eye down to the commonplace, virtual reality of commercial propaganda. Its jarring cosplay characters and universally overdone, special effects.

The heavy metal of the mounting is reinforced by the telescopes themselves. Which stretch monumentally into the unlikely, upper reaches of the dome. As if longing for escape from the egg, the chrysalis, or the missile solo on receipt of an antique signal. There is a strong sense of being completely alone in a unique and strangely privileged environment. Or, none of these things and I just have a very vivid imagination.  

I now need a drop-down[?] shelf for the vital laptop. Ink stained, mahogany boxes of gold lacquered brass, RAS-threaded eyepieces are now so yesterday. A computer shelf must now be placed at normal seated height on the northern side of the pier. It will need a decent light shroud for solar imaging.

Avoiding this shelf, while moving around the observatory, will become a new priority. Suggesting it be made with a curved form to avoid painful collisions in the dark. Though I'm hoping the low level, red, LED lighting will make life easier. I just pray it doesn't become like Santa's Grotto. The saturated sugar and dash of spice of eternally infantile, Disneyland pastiche. That would be truly awful!

A more suitable chair, than my present, folding beech example might be found in a charity/thrift shop. The beech chair takes up a lot of room, is noisy when moved and does not slide well on wooden boards. Which, potentially, makes passing by the newly vital, "computer shelf" an even greater obstacle.

A low, adjustable height, round based, 'bar' stool might be preferable. A vinyl top will avoid dampness and can easily be wiped dry if needed. One with a white top would be best. Again for avoidance in the dark. Or when blinded by the sudden inrush of light on opening the shutter doors on glaring sunshine.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

*