This is Mills Observatory, Dundee, possibly the only council run observatory in Britain. The 14″ refracting telescope has a clockwork motor which allows the telescope to track the stars and the domed roof is made of papier mache, is on rollers and has to be manually moved to allow the roof door to follow the telescope. I love the place and have done since I discovered it 40 odd years ago. In all that time, I’ve always wanted to move the roof, I’ve asked a couple of times but not allowed to.
last night, I did and for something so petty (turn the handle, the whole roof glides round) it was not a disappointment and I was like a kid with a new toy. Honestly, i think i got more out of it now than i would have back then.
Anyway, good things are worth sharing, even if they show how easily some people can be entertained.
EDIT and even writing about it has me grinning like an idiot now

possibly the only council run observatory in Britain

….apart from the one in Paisley….or the one in Airdrie

And the one in Milton Keynes 😉

Harsh crowd 😆

I’m happy for you but

the domed roof is made of papier mache,

WTF? What happens when it rains?

good things are worth sharing, even if they show how easily some people can be entertained

True that

As I run around the local golf course this morn, I came across a little bridge I hadn’t seen before…. it really wasn’t much of a bridge, you could easily have jumped the pokey ditch it crossed… but I felt compelled to run over it. And as I did a little smile came across my face and I realised what a joy crossing bridges is.

Small things

WTF? What happens when it rains?

In Scotland? What are the odds of that?

Good story – and as someone who got to rotate the dome at the Glasgow Uni observatory, I agree it’s very cool.

Also how did they get a balloon that big.

Never mind that! Give me your clothes, your boots and your Motorcycle!

Harsh crowd

..which doesn’t understand the meaning of the word “possibly”.

WTF? What happens when it rains?

the rain runs off the waterproof coating, like it does with a waxed jacket. There are, according to Wiki, 2 papier mache observatory domes left inthe UK, the other being on the (also now council-run) Godlee Observatory in Manchester.

Also how did they get a balloon that big.

The Acme Inflatable Observatory Company made specialist balloons for the observatory construction industry before moving full time into supplying cunning stunts for Wil E Coyote.