The Construction of the York AS Observatory
This section shows the journey from conception to realisation which lead to the completion of the YAS observatory.
We had found a perfect location for our new observatory. It was a large area of concrete, with excellent horizons, but it needed some serious clearing of soil and moss before it could be made usable. Many YAS members and family turned out over a couple of weekends to sweep and dig and clear the pad of debris.
We started with a concept of an observatory which would cost as little as possible to build, but which would be fully functional and provide a useful and practical facility for many years. We had been able to find a perfect location, and the idea of trying to obtain a couple of unwanted steel shipping containrs had been discussed. Based on this concept, one of our artistic members (Vic Williams, an artist of some renoun), kindly drew this sketch to give us an idea of what we were intending to produce.
A stroke of good fortune in March 2006 lead us to a cheap 28' portacabin being sold off from a bankrupt double glazing company, and by a further mountain of good fortune, they also had a 40' steel shipping container in their yard which had already had its roof removed. We bought both of them and arranged for them to be delivered to our site in March 2006. Our intention was to use the portacabin as a warm room and build the observing area into the container by constructing a sliding roof section.
We were very grateful to the RAS who kindly granted us a funding contribution to help cover the cost of the portacabin. This grant was very gratefully received, and we have a plaque honouring their generosity displayed in the warm room.
The YAS Observatory - Supported by the Royal Astronomical Society.
The RAS
web site can be found at www.ras.org.uk
The portacabin and container initially had to be placed some distance from their intended final location due to soft ground which prevented the hi-ab lorry from crossing to the desired location. We were pleased to at least have them delivered, but we were faced with waiting some time before the well soaked ground would be firm enough to attempt to move them a few hundred meters to their final location.
Our first attempt to relocate the cabin and container in April 2006 was with a hired Manitou heavy lifter, which looked like something out of Thunderbirds. It was huge.
Unfortunately, the ground was still too soft, and the huge 4WD Manitou became severely bogged down.
We also had a smaller 2WD Manitou, and that also became bogged down when trying to free the larger one. We were begining to worry that we would never them free, but eventually our inginuity and perseverence paid off, and with a massive sigh of relief, it was freed at last.
The large Manitou was abe to free the smaller one, and then we were able to move our portacabin and container some small distance, but decided not to risk crossing the grass to the final position until the ground had dried out considerably more.
We had to wait until May 2006 before the ground was firm enough to try the relocation again, and this time we hired the Hi-ab lorry again from our friends at Harrogate Hi-ab Hire.
The move went smoothly up until the container was begin positioned. At this point it became stuck on the lorry and it took over an hour to free it and persuade the hydralic crane to lift it into its final position resting against the portacabin. However, eventually it was done and we were all relieved and happy that the final location had been reached.
Work could now begin in anger, and work parties were at the site most Wednesday evenings, and some Fridays and Saturdays. The temporary fixed roof was added, a door was created, paint was applied, and work started on the raised observation deck.
Above you can see the raised observing platform joists being painted with wood preservative, the roof joint between the container and cabin being weatherproofed, and the newly painted pillar for the Meade 12" SCT. The pillar for the 12" scope is not shown below and is huge compared to the white Pillar. The interesting looking green box just inside the door in the lower left picture is the "genny box" and it contains the 240V, 850W generator. It is on wheels so it can be positioned at various outside positions around the observatory as needed, and is complete with electric fans to extract the fumes and keep fresh air flowing to the engine, plus sound-proofing to reduce the noise when it is running. The final picture shows the weather sealing between the walls of the container and cabin. No rain is going to get through there!
The big pillar, as we came to call it, arrived in the back of John's car. It was so heavy I don't think his car has been the same since. It took 4 people to drag it out onto a trolly, and the trolly eventually collapsed, but not before getting the pillar in to its intended position.
Above you can see the initial construction of the raised observing platform and stairs. Ian and Martin spent an evening test fitting the floor joists and laying the first few floorboards before the two pillars were on site.
The wet weather of winter brought a halt to much of the heavy work as the grass was too soft to drive over so heavey welding equipment and generators could not be easily transported to the site. Once the ground was firm again in April 2007, work pressed ahead with the finish line in sight at last.
They say and army marches on its stomach, well astronomers do the same. The all important morning bacon butties are prepared by Ian.
Above you can see the fixed roof section has been removed by John and Jim, and the roof panels being re-fitted to the sliding frame section which runs on 8 wheels in gutters either side of the container. John worked like a demon that Saturday morning to complete the whole roof transplant in one session. In operation the roof can be opened and closed by one person, which is a testament to Andy Lawson's good design and fabrication.
Above you can see the observing deck floor being laid with suitable cut-outs for the Meade and 12" pillars. The final floor is isolated from the piers which project through the floor, and the complete roof section slides back to give access to the whole sky.
The internal fitting out continued right up to the day of the grand opening. Here Pam and Jim can be seen working on the cladding of the stairs just the day before the opening. The cladding was finished and a coat of white paint was applied on the Friday night. The Grand opening proceeded and was a great sucess thanks to all those who worked so hard and willingly over the past 12 months.
