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Observatory Construction Photos

Steven and I have laid out the initial architectural plan, comprising twin 22 foot domes with a control room in the center.
This shows the future hallway connecting the west dome to the control room. The hallways will radiate away from the control room, east and west, and will measure 28 feet in length and 7 1/2 feet in width. The central control room will be 28 by 16 feet.

This view shows the location of the future domes (the yellow lines just above the orange lines) from panoche access road, about 1/2 mile from J-1, the main highway.

The three structures, control room and domes, as seen from the east looking west. The domes will be 18 feet tall, and raised off the ground 4 feet.

Historic day arrives construction begins!


On february 24, 2006, a 22 foot dome is started by hand. The dome circumference will be 66 feet, with a height of 18 feet.

The eastern dome excavation is now ready for the pouring of the foundation. The trench was dug by hand due to the remote access of the property. No backhoe was available.
The eastern hallway looking toward the west.
Forms are ready for the eastern dome future foundation.
Rodney stands in the future eastern dome. The land falls off rapidly to the north, necessitating a three foot difference in the foundation from side to side. A re-enforcing wall was therefore placed.
Foundation begins
march 31, 2006
The western hallway and dome takes shape.
Ignacio calculates the corner between the control room and the western hallway.
Ignacio works on the western hallway.
The chief architect arrives.
Five days later the western dome starts to rise.
Dr. Cohen’s fifth wheel motor home is placed just to the north, several feet lower than the control room.
Extensive progress made over the preceding five days.
Extensive progress as of april 14, 2006.
The western hallway floor is poured. It is 28 feet by 7 feet. The steel frame door is ready to hang.
The sleep room and hallways are ready to be poured. Vertical rebar awaits the walls.

Observing Session

On the night of april 30, 2006, the advanced imaging team once again met at the observing site. Lee Hoglan, Norman Fletcher, Rodney Anderson, Craig and myself set up the 16 inch schmidt cassegrain and observed until 2:30 a.m.

The viewing was spectacular and many objects were seen that we had never viewed before. Initially, we began observing galaxies from the herschel 400 list. 60 of the herschel entries were found and verified. several edge-on galaxies were viewed with the dust lanes being easily seen. at one point, four galaxies were seen in the same field of view.
Craig then informed us that comet schwassmann-wachmann was to be visible. The star charts had its position in the constellation of hercules. Lee had brought his four inch mounted binoculars, and we set out to find the comet. We turned the 16 inch to the site and the view was spectacular. The tail crossed through the entire field of view. Craig then noted that the comet had actually moved over the course of the evening, and sketched several pages showing its motion through the early hours of the evening.
The four of us then realized that it may be possible to view the great globular cluster, omega centauri. We turned the telescope to the south and the globular was located only five degrees above the horizon. Due to the excellent skies of our new observing site, star clarity was amazing. The cluster was resolved into thousands of stars that filled the entire field of view of our eyepiece.
Lee had brought his new binocular eyepiece and we then placed it into the 16 inch. The view was even better than before. The stars stood out like a 3-dimentional photograph.
Since the binocular worked so well, we turned the telescope toward jupiter and viewed the best images of jupiter that any of us had ever experienced. The great red spot was spectacular and easily viewed. The cloud belts showed intricate detail, and excellent color, even the shadow of jupiter’s moon was seen.
Overall, the night proved to be memorabale. We gave our highest rating to the new binocular eyepiece.
The eastern dome and hallway are readied for concrete.
April 29, 2006
More dirt is added to the western dome floor to bring the level up approximately two feet.
These floors were poured all in one day - nine yards of concrete.
May 13, 2006, 1/3 of the control room floor is poured. The central third is ready for the next pour. More concrete block has been delivered.
The eastern dome floor is now one-half completed, and the next quadrant is ready to be poured on tuesday, may 16, 2006. The pit for the telescope foundation is seen on the bottom left.
The central 1/3 of the control room has been poured. Extra blocks have been stacked, ready for the next layers.
The rebar is set and ready to pour the western dome. Wire mesh is laid on top. 4 1/2 yards of concrete are ordered for this 5 inch slab.
An excellent overview of the progress to date. Brian is leveling off the land all around the observatory, while his two sons continue to move concrete block.
Rodney and Ed work on the 30 inch foundation. Ed built the box, which will be 20 inches above.
The rebar cage has been fashioned, and is being prepared for the concrete pour.
The box is ready for the concrete foundation. the box is 32 by 40 inches, and is 30 inches south of the center of the dome, to allow for the offset of the 30 inch fork mount.
The building continues to shape up. The northern wall is now six blcoks high. The front door has ben set in block on both sides.
Ignacio and Ernesto continue to work on the north wall of the control room.
Hlaf of the floor is laid in the eastern dome.
The north wall continues. This will be the area where the computer tabels will be placed. It is planned to be 20 feet long and 3 feet deep.
Looking down the main hallway twords the west dome.
The front pad has been poured for the front door.
View of the facility from the road.
Rebar has been placed for the sleep room.
Eastern dome is now 5 blocks high
The commercial steel dore frame is installed.
Progress as of june 3, 2006.
The western dome floor is 3/4 compleet.
The front part of the observatory continues to grow.
The future sleep room concreet wall is almost compleet.
The concreet block wall has been compleeted over the steel door frame.
Foundation is poured for the front entry gate.
View of the north wall.
The front entry gate takes shape.
Looking down the length of the main hallway, now 128 feet long.
Standing in the east dome, the wall measure 6 feet, 6 inches in height.
Pouring the tripod foundation for the new 36 inch telescope.  We used sono-tubes filled with concrete, and rubber to separate them from the concrete floor.
The front door is installed and preparation begins on the entry arch columns.
Planter boxes have been installed, and the kitchen window is functional.
Overall progress as of July 29, 2006.  The front gate is finished.
Ernesto works on the front entry columns.
Florentino supervises the application of the initial stucco coat.
The eastern dome wall and floor are now complete and ready to receive the telescope.
Eastern hallway roof framing begins.  We built our own roof joists on site.
Eastern hallway framing continues.
The central computer control room roof starts, and the front columns are done.
Looking down the new roof line from east to west.
The eastern hallway roof continues toward the west.
Sheathing is added to the eastern part of the roof, now ready for tar paper.
The entry columns are finisihed.
View of the front of the observatory as of September 24, 2006.  Most of the sheathing is done.
The initial stucco coat is complete.  Tar paper is on the roof.
The front entry columns with the new entry arch.
The corrugated metal roof is being installed.  It was precut and ready to place.
The central part of the building is now complete with the metal roof.
The entry gate is partly stuccoed, ready for the final color coat.
Progress as of January 20, 2007.  The stucco color coat and metal roof are done.
To see more pictures and progress of the construction please take a look at our gallery.
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