Working Party - February 10, 2002

Construction or the Observatory building is now essentially complete with the telescope installed and operational. Today some control rods, manufactured by Duncan Hall, were installed on the Declination Lock and Declination fine adjustment. Only the attachment for the finder remains to be completed for the Telescope to be returned to full function. Already sunspot observations are possible.

A number of the group were introduced to the finer points of using the Telescope by Duncan and after some misgivings regarding the complexities of balancing the instrument in all 4 axis the process was successfully completed by the students with the confidence that ease would come with practice. In fact once balanced the Zeiss is a very easy telescope to use and should not require rebalancing under normal use.

While the fiddling about was going on inside the heavy work was underway outside with the grounds now taking on a very civilised appearance.

With a little more tidying up the Observatory will be ready for the official opening, on schedule, on the 25th March