Slaving over a hot observatory in a heatwave.

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Thursday: Another heatwave. 85.5F by 13.00. First I swapped back to the 14T for the focuser motor pulley. The motor no longer changed tone when it was reversed at the vertical when heavily loaded. Now 18 seconds per cm of focuser movement.

An unusual orientation of the dome's observing slit to the NW to block the sun and let the heat out. THG's oaks are pressing close but dare not be trimmed.  

Then I worked on the veranda doors and nearby obs. floor all morning. I had never fitted a water bar or rain stop. Wind driven rain from the prevailing SW was finding its way under the doors. Luckily I was able to enjoy the breeze today while remaining in the shade of the dome. A couple of the stainless steel, terrace screws', heads stripped and would not come out. They needed a flat crowbar to lift the short, indoor boards free without damage.

I could then fit tar paper over the joists to carry any percolating water outside the lower building's plywood panels. I might use a length of alloy angle as an internal door stop. I'm not too interested in stopping draughts because the entire building is deliberately made as open as possible to shed any heat build up. All the outside gaps between the obs. floor joists are left wide open. Though I may end up closing them off with metal fly-proof mesh. I don't want wasps or their bigger brothers, the hornets, nesting in there!

I now plan to double the veranda door thickness for greater stiffness and ease of use. It just needs a suitable filler for a doubled 12mm, grooved plywood sandwich. I slightly misjudged the width of the doors relative to the veranda. Which means they have to be almost closed again before I can move further along the veranda. Otherwise I get jammed in the gap between the railings and the outer edges of the doors. The single thickness ply meant they warped over time. Which made them drag on the top and bottom of the door frame. Making life even more difficult as I struggled to free myself.

It was never intended to make the veranda doors as the main point of access to the observatory. The veranda was only meant for safe obs. inspection and maintenance without needing ladders. I wanted the internal ladder/steps to remain completely sheltered from wintry weather. Which would have made using the steps exceedingly dangerous had they been outside.

I  normally have a load with me when climbing or descending. Which usually means one hand is holding the heavy laptop, carrying case. The idea of climbing steep, snow-plastered steps with only one hand left for an ice encrusted handrail did not appeal at all. The lack of external steps also gives the building a cleaner and sleeker look. It probably provides greater security with the dome being out of immediate reach.

The sun had come around to the south and then west as I worked on the doors. With the slit facing east into the wind and out of the sun the dome still reached 91F inside. It peaked and then hovered at 86F in the shade for several hours. Too much for me when I was standing out in the sun.

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