Finally, an Observatory

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Tomorrow morning I'm getting up early to pull down part of the front fence so the truck can get in.
I'm meeting the driver in town at 9.30am, it shouldn't take more than half an hour to load it on. So it should be here by 10.30.
I don't know how long his tray is, so it might have to be done in two trips.
Glenns wife must be ecstatic, finally getting a backyard. I think there was a lot of pressure there for him to get rid of the dome.
I'll take a few photos.

[davidpretorius]

wow, congrats

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

It's been a busy morning but it's finally arrived.
Poor Greg, he didn't realise how big it was. He is decidedly not impressed.
The driver took photos of it on his truck, he said it's the oddest thing he's ever had to move.

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

Ahhh the joys of going down the road and seeing one of them on the back of a truck. Why did I ever sell mine

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

We drove to my place on the back roads. Me driving in front flashing the hazards and waving to cars to slow down and move over.
Hairy scarey when a truck came flying around a blind corner.

[h0ughy (David)]

wow, thats great to see that going to a nice home. Glen 5 star award!! JJJ you need to dedicate the first image taken in the observatory!!

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

Whats its name, an observatory has to have a name

[Tamtarn]

Wow what a fantastic story Jeanette

It's great to have a step by step picture show as everything evolves.

Really exciting stuff

Look forward to pics of the next stages

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I'll probably name it something boring like "Mary Smokes Creek Observatory" or "Royston Observatory".
Unless someone can come up with something more exciting.
Any suggestions?

[taminga16 (Greg)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

It's been a busy morning but it's finally arrived.
Poor Greg, he didn't realise how big it was. He is decidedly not impressed.
The driver took photos of it on his truck, he said it's the oddest thing he's ever had to move.

Jeanette, Let Greg know about the extra room that you will have throughout the house once you move into the observatory, and that at four metres plus there would be more than enough room for his swag as well as your astro stuff.
Best Wishes Greg.

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

I'll probably name it something boring like "Mary Smokes Creek Observatory" or "Royston Observatory".
Unless someone can come up with something more exciting.
Any suggestions?

JJJPhotonicsMegaDome

[firstlight (Tony)]

Good score Jeanette,

Glenn Lang was an official, if not president of the Sun Coast Astronomical Society (SCAS) until the blood sucking insurance companies bled the club dry to collapse. Glenn was also a member of the Qld Astrofest organising committee for several years, including 2 of our first years. Very keen astro-imager, he was one of the first I knew doing imaging with modified security cams.

What has he been up to lately, jjj?

Tony

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Tony,
All his scopes are packed up under his house. He is taking a couple of years off to spend time with his family.
Though he does have plans to do a complete makeover on his HUGE shed in the backyard. Put in a mezzanine and convert the top part to a roll off roof observatory.
But now the other half of his yard is free he will be doing a bit of gardening. He said that he is going to be planting fruit trees where the dome was.
I'll let him know that you were asking about him.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I spent yesterday with a broom and a big bucket of soapy water and scrubbed and scrubbed the dome. The grey outer crusty layer came off eventually.
I repeated the process again this morning trying to get the mould out of the dimples in the fibreglass.
Then darling husband got out the high pressure water gun for me to use, wow, I wish I'd used it from the start. ( I'd forgot that we had one)
But it positively gleams now. So very very white.
Spent a couple of hours glueing down the fibreglass that is peeling off the domes roof. In the long run, it will have to be removed though redone properly. But for now it will do.
I went over the inside with a cobweb broom, and once I scrub down the insides, I'll go over the interior with surface spray. The dome is home to quite a few Red Backs as well as other species of spiders, and I don't want them finding their way to our house. ( The truckie who moved the dome for me was an arachnophobic and I had to save him a couple of times from nasty spiders who were looking at him the wrong way)
Also fixed the broken hinge on the front opening of the dome.
I'm in the process of organising replacement rollers, the ones that lie flat, and have oiled the upright rollers and got them working again.
Phew, no wonder I'm feeling a bit weary tonight.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

I'll probably name it something boring like "Mary Smokes Creek Observatory" or "Royston Observatory".
Unless someone can come up with something more exciting.
Any suggestions?

Astronomical Observatory

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Thanks to Astroron for putting me in contact with the chap who actually made the dome originally.
Gordon will be able to point me in the right direction with the renovation.

[alan meehan (Alan)]

well done ,did he have a red suit on.....cool..

[Ric]

That's a beauty JJJ, great to see it's gone to a good home and no doubt will get many years of use.

I look forward to the progress photos as it all comes together.

Cheers

PS. I see the clouds followed the observatory to your place as well.

[DobDobDob (Ron)]

Excellent, I'm so happy for you

[Gargoyle_Steve (Steve)]

I've got 2 words Jeanette....

"Christening party!!"