ASSNE.ORG

The weather might not be great for seeing stars, but it sure has been good for the flowers planted around the observatory; the roses are in full bloom. - Mark M

For a minute there I thought I was looing at the Trifid Nebula!
It looks like the 2 sides of your observatory roof swing open to each side. How does it work, there must be some weight to each side. How do you seal rain out on the ridge?

Yes, the roof flips open like a clamshell: I've been careful to keep the two roof halves as light as possible, and it's pretty easy to open and shut. There's a rubber gasket running along the peak that I have to replace every couple years, but does a pretty good job of keeping the rain/snow out.

I just wish I had built it bigger. That's a 10" SCT in there and it only has a couple inches of clearance.
- Mark M

So the roof's not framed out with rafters to save weight, as long as it handles the snow load. I'm planning on putting something up soon, I'm figuring 10x10.

Mark

Nice looking observatory. Your roses look really good too .... mine have not bloomed yet.

I started with an 8x8 observatory .... then added a 4x8 'office'...last year I completely revamped my observatory to be 12x8 roll-off roof with a 4x12 office/storage area.

Your split roof looks like it is easy to open, mine needs a winch. Do you have any issues with water intrusion when we get a driving rain??

Roger

This is about 5' x 6'. (Way too small for any visual observing.) I've considered expansion a few times, but my property has deed restrictions that limit what I can do. (Plus, there are a number of neighbors quite sensitive to the whole idea of backyard "sheds.") This roof is probably near the upper limit of what you can do with a simple clamshell. It does leak a little with downpours, and I have to keep a dehumidifier running pretty much 24/7 to keep moisture under control. There really isn't enough structure to the roof (it doesn't have much of a frame, keeping weight down), and the ridge is no longer straight. I'll have to rebuild the roof within the next year or so, and will try adding some strategic angle irons to keep it more rigid without adding a lot of weight.

Fresh snow and/or ice is a real nuisance. As you open it up, any on the roof will slide down and fall right onto your head.

Those are the downsides. The upside is that it's quick to open/shut (less than 60 seconds).
- Mark

Mark,

Have you ever considered using the heat cables used for preventing ice dams on your roof? The observatory is small enough where you could probably cover the majority of it with two sets (one set each side). Here is a link https://www.lowes.com/pd/EasyHeat-ADKS- ... le/3115537 they come in different sizes and wattage. No more snow falling inside or on your head.

Oh, good idea! I see that they even offer short (12-foot) heater cables for keeping pipes from freezing. One of those for each half of the roof would be plenty and would make life much easier in the winter.
- Mark