Directions for Roof Volunteers

Responsibilities

• Arrive 30 minutes before lecture is set to begin.
• Set up and know how to operate your assigned telescope.
• Know how to find your assigned target object in the sky with your telescope.
• Know some basic details about your target object. See Observational Resources and Handy Facts.
• Answer attendee general questions on astronomy, physics and science.
• Positively represent the University, the Department, and our profession.
• Note: If there is bad weather, your roof captain may offer you the option of not attending. Do not assume it is canceled due to clouds.

Instructions

• You should be contacted by your Roof Captain the day of/before the event with a reminder and telescope/target assignment.
• Using our Observational Resources and Handy Facts websites, learn about your target and how to find it in the sky.
• Make sure you are comfortable using the telescope to which you are assigned. Go up to the roof and practice and/or review the setup instructions located on the telescope.
• Arrive 30 minutes before lecture is set to begin. Go to the roof or find your Roof Captain.
• Set up your telescope.
• If you want, you may watch the lecture, but you *must* return to the roof 30 minutes after the lecture has begun. There will be people who come to the roof at that time, and you need to be at your post.
• When operating the telescope, make sure you are in focus and pointed at the target object (objects drift without tracking). Offer attendees and opportunity to see the target and explain what it is.
• Lately, we have had volunteers lead an initial group of visitors from the lecture hall up to the roof (often the families with children). This has the added benefit of discouraging everyone from mobbing the roof all at once. Take the group up the elevators to the 13th floor, point out where the 3D wall is happening (if that's where the wildcard is set-up), and explain how to get to the observatory. This helps prevent the visitors from getting lost and encourages them to experience more than they might otherwise. Usually, this will not be a roof volunteer, but occasionally, by agreement of the captains, we may ask you to do this.
• After 2 hours, please fully shut down your telescope (put away eyepieces, turn off telrad, put portable telescope back in transit room, etc.). Check with your Roof Captain before you leave.

Observing Notes

• Remember, bigger focal length on an eyepiece means bigger field-of-view (FOV). Usually you want one big FOV (26mm-40mm) and one small FOV (6mm-15mm), but it depends on your target object.
• Do not lose the eyepieces, eyepiece cases or lens caps! They are expensive and hard to replace. Do not just put them in your back pocket.