Spot Observatory
The observatory building is 15 by 23 feet, with two piers. The rails are 32 feet
long, permitting the roof to be rolled approximately 8 feet from the building. The
walls were set at 7 feet, and roof pitch at 5 in 12, permitting a standard door,
plenty of headroom and good wind protection. The roof is motorized. For details
of the expansion of this building in the spring of 2005, and for a few photos of my
first observatory built in 1977, click HERE.
long, permitting the roof to be rolled approximately 8 feet from the building. The
walls were set at 7 feet, and roof pitch at 5 in 12, permitting a standard door,
plenty of headroom and good wind protection. The roof is motorized. For details
of the expansion of this building in the spring of 2005, and for a few photos of my
first observatory built in 1977, click HERE.
Left: The old roof
mechanism, made
from an old
reversible winch
and pulleys with a
practice bomb
tensioning device
for the cable loop.
mechanism, made
from an old
reversible winch
and pulleys with a
practice bomb
tensioning device
for the cable loop.
The observatory with sculpture by Nashville
artist Rusty Wolfe.
artist Rusty Wolfe.
Above: The new chain drive
roof mechanism, with a
reversible DC motor at the
end of the roof rail structure.
Limit switches stop the roof
automatically on each end of
its run. With the motor
outside the building, and with
higher quality gears, the
mechanism is substantially
quieter and quicker.
roof mechanism, with a
reversible DC motor at the
end of the roof rail structure.
Limit switches stop the roof
automatically on each end of
its run. With the motor
outside the building, and with
higher quality gears, the
mechanism is substantially
quieter and quicker.