Den

Last year, about this time, I threw up a roof to keep rain off a small outside area.  A den: big enough for a daybed, a couple of reading chairs and a stove.  The roof keeps the rain off a music system, is braced against the wind, and has no true angle anywhere in sight.  I come out here of a night to watch stars and remember. This week the Pleiades and Taurus are peaking over the North horizon - and the Milky Way has disappeared into the South.

Many years ago a friend left me an old reflector telescope - a heavy system built on a metal pier, complete with worm drive and stepper motor (to take very long exposure pictures of the stars).  He had built the system to catch pictures of Halley's Comet - and did a wonderful job.  His old gear has been packed away carefully ever since - but this week I got it out and cleaned off the dust and set about making it ship shape.  

Brought back lots of memories. The worm drive now runs perfectly - but the stepper motor has developed a fault, and probably needs to be replaced.  Lawrence looks like he got the last one out of an old motor vehicle window wiper - will not be hard to find a replacement. Wish he was still with us.

Peter Quinton
Palerang
November 2014