A Green dome or a white dome?

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The green paint on the outside of the dome is providing intolerably warm conditions inside. From the inside, the southerly range of dome panels feel like radiant electric fires! This is just from the sun's heat being absorbed by the paint then passing straight through the thin plywood.

I opened the double doors out to the veranda, the doors on the ground floor and left the observing slit wide open all day. It didn't help very much and I did not enjoy going up there for more than a few seconds at a time. The images through the telescopes were visibly "boiling." Making it rather pointless to observe or try to image the sun.

My wife is very much against my painting the dome white and I can see her point of view. It would certainly become far more visible from a far greater distance against the overall, green backdrop.

Presently the dome can just be seen from very narrow viewing angles thanks to local trees and hedges. Being dull [sage] green it doesn't attract much attention to itself. The building is dull brown below. With multiple, angular surfaces to avoid large blocks standing out. It works too!

The multi-paneled dome really does present very different surfaces and hues in the ever changing light. The green paint changes from pale to dark depending on the angle of view and the incidence and reflection of the light or sunlight. The dome and veranda both throw shadows onto the walls below them. The octagonal walls endlessly change their appearance with the changing light. Not quite truly camouflaged but close enough for my needs. The background trees change constantly too. Depending on the height and intensity of the sun, any cloud, shade or wind orientating their leaves.

A white dome would instantly end everything in my favour so far. It would become visible, like a beacon, from afar, from the air and from space. Denmark has lots of free, aerial imagery services both governmental and commercial. While it may be a low crime country, there is no point in waving a big white flag to potential, or merely curious burglars.

Imagine uninvited visitors turning up in the drive and asking for the official tour? I might even have to start tidying the dome and lower building! I might also need 3rd party insurance against personal injury. Just in case somebody inexperienced tries to stand on the invisible glass in the middle of the trapdoor cut-out in the observatory floor. Eek!!

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