We picked up the pier from the welder on Friday and painted and installed it this weekend!
We’re getting real close to having first light in here. You can see the burn marks along the walls where the lightning ran when it struck it last year.
We’ll probably paint over all that, but it’s just a cosmetic thing and nothing critical to function. We still need to install some cushiony tile on the floor so a dropped eyepiece won’t shatter if we drop one.
This has been a great week for sky watching and astronomy! Summer Solstice arrived on Monday, then we took delivery of our pier yesterday and this morning we were treated to a partial lunar eclipse.
I also watched two consecutive ISS passes, so I’m on a roll here. And all this in between rain showers!
This photo is the Moon partially eclipsed with the dome of our observatory in the foreground.
Finally, the pier is ready! The welder did a fantastic job.
It’s 8 inch diameter schedule 40 pipe that’s 52 inches tall. It will get painted then installed inside the dome. Can’t wait!
Turn your face to the Sun and be happy!
