A Transportable Observatory part 2

By Jeremy Rundle

The roof was less easy - it took three hours. It needs to stop the rain so I chose 3-ply marine ply for the roof for lightness when moving. Two pieces were overlapped to make the roof simply by temporarily joining them with G clamps each side and placing them on top of the "box" observatory and adjusting them until there was a sufficient overlap. See below.

When you have about three inches overlap all round, sufficient to allow you to raise the roof and place the side panels under, you have the right size. Accuracy to the inch is not important.

The inside edges of the roof sections are secured by metal L plates to hold them firmly at the corners.

In the photograph below can be seen 6' of the 48' of 2"x1" baton screwed under EACH side of the roof for strength, and so that the forest lap fence when raised will not fall down.

The roof was then covered with the sheet of tarpaulin and four more battens screwed to the above wood from the outside to secure.

Once completed in under a day, the observatory, seen here with ALL 6' by 3' forest lap panels, is large enough to hold a desk for a laptop computer, heater and GOTO mount. It can easily house a medium or large sized ‘scope such as a 12" reflector or Schmidt Cassegrain type scopes up to 14" (and multiple obseervers!)

Locking is by hasp and staple on just three sides to stop the roof being raised.

When completed it is a "security friendly" "shed" not looking like an observatory with any high value equipment inside.

Jeremy Rundle, Highlands Astronomical Society

Click here to go back to part 1