Hi Sareniti.....
Well, I'm baffled. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="confused.gif" /> You should be able to open that lid beneath the telescope as soon as you get the code from Catherine's journal in the Moiety Age.
Is it possible that you have misread the D'ni numbers (symbols)?
By any chance have you started the game over for some reason and the code has changed?
If the code is 1-5-1-3-5 for instance, are you clicking on the the first key, the 5th key, then the first key etc......Then clicking on the lid handle?
Let us know how you do.... I'd like to know how this turns out.
~Dee