Log, Jan 26, 2007
Well, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that we have a pretty good idea by talking to the manufacturer that the dingus which is keeping the shutter dome from moving is a 145-175 microfarad starting capacitor. After several false starts, I finally located one of them in a shop in Preston Connecticut. The thing looks like a D-cell battery painted black with two electrical clips at the top. The bad news is that I've got to get on top of a 12-15 foot ladder and open up the retaining panel and install the dingus at arms reach. Yeehaw!Believe it or not, I opened Frosty Drew Observatory last night with the wind howling as it took a still temperature of 8 and gave it a wind chill that approached minus infinity. When I got to FDO last night, the alarm system was sounding. I got that squared away and waited for some visitors. We almost got one - some body drove by. I waved but I'm not sure they saw me. I was ready to do at least a star identification session and to look at various objects through the Observatory's Questar (a truly lovely small instrument). Finally I gave up and went home.-Les Coleman
