19 replies to this topic

[jmillsbss]

There you go. What color is the interior of your roll-off roof observatory? Mine is still unpainted, bare wood and OSB. it's a 12' x 16' with a 5' x 12' portion of that as a "warm room". Would you paint the warm room a different color? There will of course be some visual and EAA/AP activity, so I just wonder what others have done? Thanks!

[KTAZ]

My warm room is painted a bright color to allow for reflection and minimize the amount of energy I need to use to illuminate it at night with 12v lights.

 

The obsy itself is painted black inside to reduce errant reflections.

[jmillsbss]

My warm room is painted a bright color to allow for reflection and minimize the amount of energy I need to use to illuminate it at night with 12v lights.

 

The obsy itself is painted black inside to reduce errant reflections.

This is where I was headed too, but after some more research I've begun to second thought it a little.  I've seen several unpainted interiors.  I have a sign shop, so I have tons of extra red LEDs that run off a 12v reducer, so not much power required, and it seems like that would illuminate the bare walls fine for the warm room but I don't know if the black would eat up all the red light or not. *** Gotta test that when I get there.  And then there's whether or not to finish the interior walls or not.  A thin sheet of material of some exterior grade, for a smooth finish.  I don't know whether to leave it "open" studs and OSB or not.

 

***  -  Of course, the "warm room" walls will almost certainly need to have a finished face, insulated walls.  I intend to keep several telescopes in the space to have them better acclimated to the temperature.

Edited by jmillsbss, 24 July 2024 - 09:51 AM.

[southernharry]

Mine is bare wood - studs and OSB walls except for the upper part of the east wall that is painted black.  That is the inside part that is illuminated by the streetlight in the winter time - summer tree leaves block it then.  Street light is behind me for observing and photographing the sky area I have available so doesn't seem to bother too much.  My warn room is in the house.

[EFT]

Flat black on all buildings with black/grey foam floor tiles.  The moon will light up your observatory like daylight if things aren't as non-reflective as possible, including the concrete pad.

[Chucke]

White on the outside.  Dark blue in the observing room.  Warm room is light grey with white trim around the doors and window.

[MJB87]

Dome interiors walls: dark blue (Benjamin Moore "Down Pour Blue")

 

ROR interior walls: unpainted pine.

[stargzr66207]

The exterior of my observatory is white vynl siding, with a 16 gage metal roof painted brilliant white. Interior wise, the walls of the warm room are sunshine yellow and the ceiling is brilliant white. The walls of the telescope room are painted midnight blue.
Ron Abbott

[KTAZ]

A picture is worth a thousand words:

 

 

And, yes, moonlight will light that place up like day if you leave the walls unpainted.

[jmillsbss]

A picture is worth a thousand words:



And, yes, moonlight will light that place up like day if you leave the walls unpainted.

Very nice! I've got a couple of really good ideas from this thread!

[Taylor]

Mine is unpainted OSB inside. The exterior colors are painted to match the house.

[jmillsbss]

Mine is unpainted OSB inside. The exterior colors are painted to match the house.

That's where I am now but I'm a little concerned the bare wood might bring the boring bees and other dust producers. And I really don't expect the dust isn't coming, even if the whole thing were stainless steel. The yard guy (daughter's boyfriend!) and I have already talked about his methodology!

[Special Ed]

My 12x16 ROR observatory is painted dark blue on the inside.  I use a dimmable red rope light and a desk lamp with a red bulb which is plenty of illumination when I need it.  The outside is weathered T-111 siding and the roof is white steel roofing with insulation on the inside.

 

 

 

[jmillsbss]

Great images everyone.  Here's mine, work definitely still in progress, but a good start anyway.

 

I've got the same vinyl siding as the house, white trim, but the roof on the Obsy is bright aluminum instead of dark green.  Reflects a remarkable amount of heat, particularly with a 1.5" gap between the OSB decking and the roofing.  I have charcoal yoga flooring waiting to be put down.  Intentions are to paint the walls black in the 12' x 12' telescope space and a 60% grey in the cool/warm room. Red lights all around, courtesy of the overages I bought in red LEDs at the sign shop!  Probably a white light here and there.  Maybe even a black light and a lava lamp...you never know.

 

Last night was the first real setup to image a little bit and it was so nice to be able to set everything up with the lights on and the roof closed and the bugs shut out!  If I were out in the yard, a mere 10 feet away, the mosquitoes would have tried to carry me off!  Not a single need to swat with the roof pulled.  Talk about a benefit!!!  And I didn't really notice any bugs with the roof off and if the lights weren't on.  That's really nice.  I have to set up the C8/Hyperstar in a horizontal fashion but that's no issue really.  A good trade off to get a more "eye level" pier.  Another reason for the height, there's one security light 300 feet to my south.  The wall hides it by about 10".  And we're still running on battery power for now, but the electrical work will be installed soon enough.

 

It's somewhat bulky, but by golly, it's there!  I can roll the roof off with one good push and when closed, the 4 corners have lockdown latches that give me a solid hold and a great relief when the wind blows.

 

So far, so good, but there's a ways to go.  However, last night I set up the AT60ED on the mount with the 6" schedule 40 pipe/pier and took a 5 minute frame while we stomped and walked and moved things around and the isolated pier in 11 bags of Quikrete held still. Perfect points of light in the corners of the 4.7* x 3.3* field of view.  I am very pleased!

 

Thanks again for all the help!!!  Clear skies!

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Edited by jmillsbss, 01 August 2024 - 10:02 AM.

[jmillsbss]

The other pics than wouldn't fit within the limitations of CN rules....

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[HfxObserver]

My walls are Benjamin Moore "Olympus Green", see attached. It was the closest colour I could find to match the Brera Observatory, I also enjoy the idea that Olympus was the pantheon for the Greek Gods.

 

https://scienzaexpre...omico-di-brera/

 

But why green? At night green when viewed under red light will be perceived as black. Black walls may tend to reflect more of the red light. Certain blues will also be perceived as black, but I like this green colour as it has a bit of a vintage vibe for it and many of the old cabins here are painted a similar tone.

 

Now that the final interior work is done we plan to put a final coat of paint on the inside.

 

Chris

 

 

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[John Carlini]

My observatory exterior is Fabral sheet metal in a sage-green color with a white TS-3 PierTech aluminum roof. The interior is made of stained tongue-and-grove boards left over from my house construction. The interior wall finish is maple color.

 

[jmillsbss]

My walls are Benjamin Moore "Olympus Green", see attached. It was the closest colour I could find to match the Brera Observatory, I also enjoy the idea that Olympus was the pantheon for the Greek Gods.

 

https://scienzaexpre...omico-di-brera/

 

But why green? At night green when viewed under red light will be perceived as black. Black walls may tend to reflect more of the red light. Certain blues will also be perceived as black, but I like this green colour as it has a bit of a vintage vibe for it and many of the old cabins here are painted a similar tone.

 

Now that the final interior work is done we plan to put a final coat of paint on the inside.

 

Chris

No doubt, the idea of understanding the play of red light on green paint never crossed my mind. As an art major graduate I should have considered it sooner. Rather, we used a flat black that is infinitely darker than than I'd ever expected. Still, I like the green and may put that away for the day we need a repaint!

[HfxObserver]

Thanks jmillsbss,

 

What colour are you going with? It is a bit of work painting the OSB, mine soaked up the first coat of primer like it was water. It was worth it in the end as the finished look is nice and you can sense better dark adaption.

 

I'm in month 15 of a 6 week build   We spent the afternoon priming the exterior facia and soffit 2x4s ...my builder is set to put some flashing on later this month. Next is the final white paint on the facia and soffit then it'll be a final coat of the interior green, some Tung Oil for the desks / chart holders / shelves, floor paint then the rubber mats will go down and finally some rodent barrier. Sadly, at that point we'll need to figure out a way to keep snow off the rails or there won't be much observing til spring. 

 

Clear skies,

 

Chris

Edited by HfxObserver, 16 September 2024 - 09:16 PM.

[HfxObserver]

The exterior final coat of white went on the trim a couple weeks back and last weekend I put the stain on the desks, chart holder and shelves, then the first 2 coats of tung oil primed the floor and finally the last coat of oil this afternoon.

 

We had our first below freezing night last night, -1C here for most of the night, so it really feels like the clock is ticking down now. That said, today it was +20C and tonight is warm and there is no temperature below freezing in the 14 day forecast plus the observatory runs about +2C warmer . 

 

Sure they could have just been painted...but this oiling process creates a nice look especially since the builder went and picked out plywood with a nice tiger pattern.

 

Chris 

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Edited by HfxObserver, 05 October 2024 - 12:31 AM.