Kenyon Astrophysical Observatory
KAO
This is an overview of a paper presented at the RTMC-AE 2003
The Kenyon Astrophysical Observatory is located in the Sierra Nevada mountains
of California at 5300 feet of elevation. The land is forest service land which
is reserved for astronomy and astronomical research and for which a use permit
was obtained. There are a number of observatories on this site.
The concept for KAO is of the "roll-off roof" design. The 12'x12' structure is
based on a storage barn from Tuff-Shed. This is a pre-fabricated and pre-painted
building, designed to be erected in about one day. A cement slab was poured
for the structure to be built on.
The first step as pictured above, was to prep the site by digging footings for the
slab and the pier base. The pier base is a 3'x3'x3' hole. The pier built out of 4"x4"'s
was plumbed and partially cemented in the hole by hand. The next step was to form
and pour the slab, porch step and trestle piers as shown below with myself in place
of the future telescope.
At this point the Tuff-Shed crew came up to the site on a Friday morning to install
the floor and erect the walls of the structure. This was completed in less than a day
and pictured below.
Over the weekend, the trestle was assembled by a few friends and myself on Saturday.
Sunday was reserved for the assembly of the rolling roof base and installation of
the observing platform. The wheels were pre-attached and aligned on the east and
west rails. The wheels are "V channel" and roll on angle iron tracks which were
aligned and secured to the trestle.
The following work day, the Tuff-Shed crew came up to complete the roof as seen in
the picture of the site below. The trusses and plywood were assembled in the morning,
with the shingles and doors completed in the afternoon.
The following weekend, the porch cover and finish work was performed and the building
was ready for the installation of the telescope as shown below.
In September of 1994 the telescope was installed and KAO went on line.
The picture above was taken in January of 1995 after a 3 month check out and
configuration phase.
Dave Kenyon
KAO
Thanks again for visiting the KAO Design and Construction Home Page!
Return to the KAO Home Page here