112K JPEG Today we see the front part of the two side rooms going up. Work continues on the other walls, putting in cross bracing and other details of the steel studs.

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Although there are no interior horizontal studs in the walls, giving a free vertical run for any conduit, there are horizontal cross braces put onto the outside of the steel studs.

120K JPEG Dave Zellmer takes a third set of GPS coordinates while standing at the exact center of the building. Today's coordinates were

North latitude: 36 deg 48.88 min
West longitude: 119 deg 44.67 min
Map datum WGS84

These agree with previous readings by 0.02 minutes. The values will be used to compute astronomical events for the exact planetarium location. The readings needed to be taken before the roof and walls are put on.

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Work continues on the steel studs.

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108K jpeg This is the view from the North side of the building.

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Today the first wood panels have appeared on the Planetarium walls.
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Robert Smith from Wyllie Construction measures and cuts the wood.

112K jpeg This detail of the Northeast corner of the building shows how the steel studs are fastened into place. First a steel sill is bolted to the foundation, then the steel studs are screwed into place with power drills.

The wood panels are fastened into place with nails driven by a nail gun. I was told that you can't use a plain hammer on steel studs. The low impact of a manual hammer blow would deform the studs.

116K jpeg Heavier wood beams have special brackets fastened to them. Check in later for where these go and how they will be attached.



80K jpeg This is the North wall of the building.

Those large wooden beams have ended up on the ceiling of the restrooms on the west side of the building.



On the East side of the building the support beams for the edges of the ceiling are put in place. Meanwhile, critical metal joints are welded as well as fastened with screws.

I didn't have time to get down to the site today, but I did learn that power has been brought to the transformer that will supply the planetarium.

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There was lots of activity today as additional wall panels were put in place and the ceilings of both the East and West sides of the building were covered over with plywood.

Looking South from the center of the building we see the interior of the lobby, with the steel studs now in place. The final bit of concrete has been poured as well, filling in the places where the upright steel beams were bolted onto the footings.

The exterior wall are rapidly being completed. In the view on the right we see the East side of the building with the walls almost completed.

In this interior shot we can see parts of the auditorium and the insides of the office and preparation rooms.

The exterior paneling is on its way to completion. In a couple of days the main action will be on the inside of the building. On the right we see Steve White, Director of the Downing Planetarium, inspecting the rooms and hallway on the West side of the building.



Surrounding the planetarium dome, but out of sight of the audience, will be a catwalk that allows access to the slide projectors and to the outside of the dome. Dr. White is checking out the exact placement of the fittings that will hold the frame of the catwalk together. After assembly on the floor, this frame will be suspended from the roof with all-thread steel hangers. In the picture on the right we see the access way to the catwalk in the ceiling of the Resource Room on the North end of the building.

Compared to yesterday, the exterior picture from the third floor of the Science Building shows very little visible change. Workers are still putting on the last few exterior shear panels and installing the roofing on the North side of the building.

Inside the building the plumbers are here installing the lines in the walls. On the floor of the planetarium, the catwalk frame is being assembled prior to suspending it from the roof.

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