Frequently Asked Questions
Contents
- Public Visiting Hours
- Directions to Lick Observatory
- Landmarks
- Refreshments (Food, Beverage, Restrooms)
- Smoke and Tobacco Free
- Communications (Telephones, WiFi)
- Wildlife
- Wildfire
- Unmanned Aircraft Systems, UAS (Drones)
- Satellite Constellations (e.g. Starlink)
- Meteors
- Meteorites
- Nighttime Visits
- Private Evening Tours, Special Events
- Recommended Reading
- What are the faintest objects that can be seen with the 36-inch Great Lick Refractor?
- What are the farthest objects that can be seen with the 36-inch Great Lick Refractor?
- Limitations of the 36-inch Great Lick Refractor
- Shane Dome Safety
- Camping
- Beyond A Visit
- Astronomy Merit Badges (e.g. for Scouting Groups)
- Environmental Constraints
- Light Pollution
- Visiting Scientists
- Support
- Scientific Programming Group, SPG
- Network, Information and Computing Services, NICS
- Information Technology Services, ITS
- LGS
- Modify CoverSheet Information
- Image Requests
- Media Locations
- Private Events (e.g. Weddings, Birthdays, etc.)
- Usage Fees
Lick Observatory Public Visiting Hours
At the summit of Mount Hamilton, Lick Observatory's Main Building / Visitor Center is open to the the public (free admission, free parking) Noon-17:00 from Thursday to Sunday, and some public holidays. Free showings of the historic 36-inch aperture Great Lick Refractor occur every hour, on the half hour. Access gates to the Main Building / Visitor Center are programmed to close automatically shortly after the closure of the Main Building / Visitor Center. Please respect traffic, parking, and other notices, prevent fire, and abate noise and litter.Directions To Lick Observatory
There are no fuel or automotive services on Mount Hamilton. It is recommended to (re-)fuel all vehicles before departing an urban center for the ascent to Mount Hamilton. The recommended approach to Mount Hamilton from the West (e.g. from San Jose) is via Alum Rock Road and Mount Hamilton Road (California State Route 130). Environmental and other conditions can occassionally provoke road closures. Therefore, it adviseable to check highway conditions for State Route 130 and weather conditions for Mount Hamilton before embarking on a journey to Lick Observatory. Current Highway Conditions for SR 130 - Mount Hamilton Road at the following URL: http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi?roadnumber=130&submit=Search Extended Weather Forecast for Mount Hamilton, California at the following URL: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-121.62&lat=37.34#.WPAi6e0ztwE The alternative approach from the West to Mount Hamilton Road (via Quimby Road) is not recommended and is unsuitable for large vehicles. A minimum time of 1 hour should be allowed for the ascent from urban San Jose. From the East, Mount Hamilton can be approached from Livermore and from Patterson (Interstate 5). From Patterson, turn North-West onto Puerto del Canyon Road (California Route 130). From Livermore, take Mines Road, heading South. At The Junction Bar and Grill, head South on San Antonio Valley Road (California Route 130). Allow a journey time of 2 hours from from Patterson or Livermore. The Junction Bar and Grill, is a convenient landmark and rest/refreshment stop. Allow approximately 1 hour to drive the remaining 19 ascending miles of increasingly serpentine road to the Observatory from The Junction Bar and Grill. During, and subsequent to, heavy wind or rain, approaching from the East may be more susceptible to delays due to fallen rocks, trees and flash flooding. Allowing additional time (circa 30 minutes) is recommended to accommodate contingencies (such as slow moving vehicles, construction, detours, public festivals, livestock, etc).Landmarks
Communications (Telephones, WiFi)
Mobile phone network reception on Mount Hamilton is unreliable. Wireless internet access is not offered for use by the general public.Refreshments (Food, Beverages, Restrooms)
With the exception of a snack vending machine, no food is available for purchase at the summit of Mt Hamilton. Visitors may consider bringing prepared meals/picnic. The Laurentine Hamilton courtyard in the rear precincts of the Main Building/Visitor Center has some garden furniture sets which make it a pleasant environment for groups to eat. It is requested that no food or drinks be consumed within the telescope enclosures. Restrooms are located in the Main Building and in the visitors gallery of the Shane telescope enclosure.Smoke and Tobacco
Lick Observatory is a facility of the University of California. Therefore according to California Government code section 7597.1 (b) the observatory is subject to additional, more restrictive, smoking and tobacco control ordinances, regulations of the University of California smoke and tobacco free policy prohibiting the use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc within the boundaries of the University of California controlled properties.Unmanned Aircraft Systems, UAS (Drones)
The entire Lick Observatory property is a "No Drone Zone". Lick Observatory is the private property of the Regents of the University of California (UC). UC policy requires that all Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) operations are performed in a manner that mitigates risks to safety, security, privacy, and ensures compliance with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-95) and all applicable laws. Policy: On-line; Local. Guidance Document: On-line; Local. More information on UC Unmanned Aircraft System Safety is available from the University of California Office of the Presdient (UCOP) at the following URL: http://www.ucop.edu/enterprise-risk-management/resources/centers-of-excellence/unmanned-aircraft-systems-safety.html Anyone who seeks to operate UAS at any University Location or for any authorized University activity must receive written approval in advance in accordance with the UC policy. Additional recommendations specific to Lick Observatory include:- Anyone seeking to operate a UAS at Lick Observatory must be accompanied throughout the flight by a designated local authority/local staff member for the duration of all flights.
- Anyone operating UAS shall comply immediately with to directions of the designated local authority/local staff member (e.g. altering flight path or terminating the flight).
Satellite Constellations (Updated: 2021-05-23)
The increasing profusion and unregulated nature of satellite constellations is indeed a concern to both the professional and amateur astronomical communities, as well as other groups. For example, I recommend the International Astronomical Union (IAU) 3 June 2019 statement on satellite constellations: https://www.iau.org/news/announcements/detail/a\ nn19035/ This announcement was published shortly after the 24 May 2019 launch of the SpaceX Starlink constellation, multiple flashes from which were observed from Mount Hamilton on the evening of 28 May 2019. The IAU announcement is accompanied by some example images (at least one of which was provided by our colleagues at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona) illustrating how multiple satellite trails can compromise astronomical imaging data. Typically, Starlink satellite clusters are most noticeable in the days immediately following launch and deployment, catching and reflecting sunlight either in the couple of hours after sunset or before sunrise. Such sightings are becoming more common, provoking public interest, as SpaceX continues to populate its satellite constellation apace. Typically, as time passes after launch, the clusters become less noticeable. My Wife and myself and some friends witnessed a Starlink satellite train from San Jose on the evening of Friday 7 May 2021. Another such apparition provoked local public interest on the evening of Saturday 22 May 2021. There are some websites which assist in predicting apparitions, e.g: https://heavens-above.com/main.aspx https://www.n2yo.com/ Some scholarly articles on the issue:- Impact of satellite constellations on astronomical observations with ESO telescopes in the visible and infrared domains (Hainaut & Williams, 2020): https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/pdf/2020/04/aa37501-20.pdf
- First observations and magnitude measurement of Starlink’s Darksat (Tregloan-Red et al., 2020): https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/pdf/2020/05/aa37958-20.pdf
- The impact of satellite constellations on space as an ancestral global commons (Venkatesan et al., 2020): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-020-01238-3
- Losing the Sky: A public debate on satellite megaconstellations (2021-06-15): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESoM3Noz5zk
- Dark and Quiet Skies for Science and Society by Connie Walker (2020): https://www.iau.org/static/publications/dqskies-book-29-12-20.pdf
- Losing the Sky by Andy Lawrence: https://www.amazon.com/Losing-Sky-Andy-Lawrence-ebook/dp/B08W9NR7DX/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=losing+the+sky&qid=1624173077&sr=8-1
Observing Meteors
Simply making the effort to avoid the city lights of the urban environment should enhance enjoyment of the meteor observing, during the several evenings on-and-around the peak of activity. Meteor showers typically derive from the primordial debris liberated during passages of comets (e.g. Swift-Tuttle), asteroids, or hybrid objects (e.g. 5200 Phaeton). Although a handful of the brightest meteors are also likely to be seen from urban centers, there are increasingly more fainter meteors, best observed from dark sky locations. For the purposes of visual meteor observing, it is not necessary to seek-out high elevation areas such as a mountain. Simply finding a dark sky (typically rural) location where you have permitted convenient parking (and preferably toilet) facilities will be suitable. Check in advance with your local out-of-town County, State and National parks to see what their present status is likely to be vis-a-vis public access at night. Public places with permitted parking in rural villages may also be an option (e.g. parking areas for local parks - and even rural cemeteries - often serve surprisingly well). As always, be mindful of the impact your presence may have: respect traffic rules, local signage and avoid inconvenience (e.g. obstruction, noise, light, trash) to residents and neighbours. Because of the Earth's motion with respect to the meteoroid stream, the optimal viewing time (in terms of elevated meteor activity) is in the small hours of the morning. However, the presence of Moonlight is likely to degrade your capability to see fainter meteors with the naked eye after teh Moon has risen. The best visual experience is obtained by looking in directions orthogonal to the radiant. Typically, with many radiants in Northen skies it is preferable to find a rural location on the South side of any big city (so the lights of the city are out-of-the-way, to the North of your location). No special equipment (e.g. telescope) is required, but a comfortable seat like a pool chair, camping chair or lounger is adviseable (and warm clothing or a blanket, as lying still in the night for an extended period can make you feel the cool temperatures surprisingly quickly). If you are planning for a half-night or longer, maybe a light snack including a warm drink may also be comforting to bring along. Any grade of binoculars, if you happen to have them, may augment your enjoyment of the night sky, allowing you to scan across the star fields of the Milky Way and the brighter planets between meteor events. The best observers are patient observers: You have to hold your nerve --- if a colleague looking in a slightly different direction seems to be momentarily having better luck, try not to be distracted from your own area of sky. Also, note that the "shower" and/or "storm" terms only indicates the probability of enhanced meteor activity, over-and-above the usual very low background rate of random "sporadic" meteors (of a few per hour): Even from the darkest of locations, do NOT expect to see many 10s or 100s of meteors. These oft-quoted rates are misleading for the casual meteor observer and are the result of many normalizations, calibrations and corrections. In reality, under the very best circumstances, you should probably expect to observe a few, to a few tens, of meteors per hour (including the very faint ones). Consider yourself successful (and lucky) if you manage to see one or more really bright, memorable meteor(s) during half a night dedicated to meteor observing. Despite the caution to moderate expectations, meteor-watching is one of the most rewarding amateur astronomical pursuits, since it is often done in concert with a group of friends and the conversations you have while waiting in the darkness for the next meteor can be as memorable as the meteors themselves. Meteor-watching also lends itself to social distancing, as participants often naturally place their observing chairs a few feet apart to cover slightly different viewing angles.Meteorites
Identifying bona fide meteorites is a very difficult business that no-one on Mount Hamilton (and probably not in UCSC) is qualified for. Simply inspecting an unusual rock can sometimes yield encouraging signs (e.g. purported presence of a fusion crust, pitting and density, inclusions of mineral species like Olivine). However, the bulk of meteorite discoveries often turn out to have more mundane, terrestrial origins (e.g. Weathered Haematite, pig iron, lodestone, etc.). There are may types of meteorite, with many many differing constitutions and appearances (e.g. some are friable, having the consistency of freeze-dried coffee granules). So identification of meteoritic material can be a proverbial mine field. For one sub-class of meteorite (i.e. the stony-iron meteorites), there is one definite (but invasive) test can be performed with basic equipment:- Cut a slice through the purported meteorite to expose a flat interior surface.
- Polish the exposed surface.
- Immerse in concentrated sulphuric acid for sufficient time to allow the acid etch into the exposed, polished surface.
Lick Observatory Nighttime Visits
Please do not visit out-of-hours or during the hours of darkness without an advance appointment, when, to minimize light pollution, access is restricted and gates lock automatically. It is unsafe to be present in the observatory precincts during the hours of darkness with out the accompanyment of a staff member. For those wishing to experience the observatory in the evening, arrangements can be made to attend one of our ticketed public evening tour, by participating in one of our Summer series events or booking a private evening tour. Public Evening Tours: http://www.ucolick.org/main/visit/evening_tours.shtml Summer Series: http://www.ucolick.org/summer/Lick Observatory Private Evening Tours (Updated: 2021-09-01)
An pre-arranged evening tour in the company of a staff member starts at Lick Observatory Visitor Center and guests can look forward to seeing the 3-m/120-inch aperture Shane Reflecting Telescope (the main research instrument used by the astronomers at Lick) and learning about the on-going research in astronomy and astrophysics and, hopefully (weather permitting) viewing astronomical objects through the 36-inch aperture Great Lick Refractor. Typical duration 4-5 hours. A 1 hour lecture and presentation is also available, highlighting the life and times of James Lick, the history of his observatory and its scientific contributions. Group members may purchase photographs, posters, booklets, T-shirts, etc. at the gift shop during each of these tours. Typically, tours accommodate groups of up to 40. Due to COVID we are limiting groups to 30 people, masks must be worn while indoors and the UCSC COVID daily symptom questionnaire must be completed before entering any of the buildings: https://ucsantacruz.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_24vMSiDcxZp6VRX Tours are scheduled anytime, as long as the observatory facilities and staff are available. It is recommended to schedule tours between the months of April and October only, due to the high probability of poor weather the rest of the year. Tours can be scheduled up to three months in advance. As of 2021Q3, to request a tour of Lick Observatory, use the following (IRIS registration) URL: https://ucsc.irisregistration.com/Form/licktours Register for a IRIS account to fill in the form. The form will show our current pricing for tours. https://ucsantacruz.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_24vMSiDcxZp6VRX Tours are subject to fees and require a certificate of insurance for the participants. Fee structures and booking are available via the following URL: Lick Observatory Private Tours, Special Events Insurance requirements are described at the following URL: http://reo.ucsc.edu/forms-docs/webdocs/files/UCSC%20Use%20Permit%20Insurance%20Requirements%20Revised%207.11.13.pdfRecommeded Reading
Many people find the story of James Lick and the historical setting and scientific contributions of his observatory compelling. For those wishing to know more, the following resources are recommended. For convenience, links to Amazon are included. However, many of these publications are likely to available from a good lending library:- Eye On The Sky: Lick Observatory's First Century by D. E. Osterbrock, J. R. Gustafson, W. J. Shiloh Unruh. Amazon. - The authoritative, scholarly account of Lick Observatory first 100 years.
- James Lick's Monument: The saga of Captain Richard Floyd and the Building of the Lick Observatory by H. E. Wright. Amazon. - A scholarly account of the building of Lick Observatory and the people behind it.
- The Generous Miser: The Story Of James Lick of California by R. Lick. Amazon. - A somewhat sanitzed account of James Lick's life, by his grand niece.
- Einstein's Jury: The Race to Test Relativity by J. Crelinsten. Amazon. - An in-depth, scholarly discussion of the pivotal role Lick Observatory astronomers Heber D. Curtis and Director William Wallace Campbell played in testing Einstein's theory of General Relativity by organizing solar eclipse expeditions.
- The Perfect Machine: Building the Palomar Telescope by R. Florence. Amazon. - How telescopes like Palomar Observatory's 200-inch Hale telescope and its close relative, Lick Obsrvatory's 120-inch Shane telescope were shepherded into existence.
- The Day We Found the Universe by M. Bartusiak. Amazon. - The significant contributions of Lick and other observatories to the discovery of the expansion of the Universe.
- The Immortal Fire Within: The Life and Work of Edward Emerson Barnard by William Sheehan Amazon. - The story of one of the United States' most gifted observers.
- Gerard P. Kuiper and the Rise of Modern Planetary Science by Derek W. G. Sears Amazon. - The story of one of the Gerard Kuiper, formerly Morrison Fellow at Lick Observatory.
- The End of Night by P. Brogard Amazon. - Wasted light / light pollution / light at night and the effect on our health, ecology, environment and rights.
- Star of the Sea by J. O'Connor Amazon. - A novel, which draws on research material reflecting the conditions at sea which prevailed at the time when James Lick was engaged in his ocean voyages.
What are the faintest objects that can be seen with the 36-inch Great Lick Refractor?
Short answer: Objects with visiual magnitudes between abou 14.0 and 15.0. Longer answwer: To answer this question, we make the assumption that the questioner is asking only about using the human eye at the eyepiece of the telescope (i.e. not using a camera). Obviously, the faintest thing observable with the eye at the eyepiece depends on variable factors like lunar illumination, atmospheric conditions, observers visual acuity, age, etc. It also depends on the object itself --- whether the light is spread out over an area (like a galaxy) or can be considered as a point source. Some people (particularly youngsters) report being able to see the central star of Messier 57 (Ring Nebula) in good conditions: Ring Nebula The central star star is reported at magnitude circa 14.8), so I would suggest a hand-waving limit to be maybe a little fainter. As a convenient, memorable number, let's say about magnitude 15.0. (The purported distance to the Ring Nebula is circa 2300 light-years, which is over 10,000,000,000,000,000 miles (1 followed by sixteen zeros).What are the farthest objects that can be seen with the 36-inch Great Lick Refractor?
Short answer: An object at redshift about z = 0.3. Allowing for cosmological uncertainties, this corresponds to between about 3 and 5 billion light years away. Which, in turn, corresponds to between about one-fifth and one-third of the most recent history of the Universe. Longer answer: The most distant object we have a verified report of observing at the eyepiece of the 36-inch is a quasar identified by its catalog number: 7C1821+6419 The identifier reveals something about the object: 7C means it was detected in the 7th Cambridge (UK) survey of radio sources. Therefore, it is so optically faint that it was discovered not with visible light telescopes but with radio telescopes. The 7th Cambridge radio survey was published throughout the 1990s, so we've only known about this quasar's existence for less than 30 years! 1821+6419 are the approximate position/coordinates of the source on the sky: Right Ascension (analogous to longitude) of 18 hours, 21 minutes (or approximate 270.3 degrees east of a (zero) reference point on the sky. Declination (analogous to latitude) in this case is positive (therefore it lies in the northern celestial hemisphere) some 64 degrees and 19 minutes north of the projection of the Earth's equator onto the night sky. The distance of this quasar has been determined to be between 2,870,176,123 and 4,827,114,389 light years, or (in round figures) between 3 and 5 billion light years. For astronomers, a convenient term often used to describe relative cosmolgical distances is "redshift", conventionally denoted by the character, z. For this particular quazar, it lies at a redshift of: z = 0.296705, or (in round figures) z = 0.3. Light travel time: From this distance, it takes the light over 3 billion years to travel to Earth. So we observe this quazar as it appeared over 3 billion years (3 Gyr) ago. We think the Universe is between 13.7 and 13.8 billion years old, or (in round figures) almost 14.0 billion years (14 Gyr) old. 3 / 14 is just over one-fifth, or 20 per cent. So we are able to look back into (at least) the most recent 20 per cent in the history of the Universe with the 36-inch Great Lick Refractor and our eye. Hence, with the 36-inch and the human eye alone we are conceivably able to look back through the Universe and view its contents when they were between 75--80 per cent of it's present age, and upward until today's universe. Thus, with the great Refractor we are concievably able to observe (selectively) the latest fifth (maybe upto a quarter) of the Universe's evolution. However, while true, this claim is biased since it relies on extremely bright, exotic objects called quasars, and there are not as many quasars in the later stages of the Universe's evolution (if there were, we would not be here, because the intense quazar radiation would have sterilized our environment). There are other, intrinsically fainter "nearly normal" galaxies interspersed along our line of sight, so while we can see some of the bright distant quasars, our view of the Universe at these look-back times would not be very representative of it's contents at those epochs.Limitations of the 36-inch Great Lick Refractor
In November of 2013, an embargo on operating the moving floor of the Great Lick Refractor was introduced, until such time as resources can arrange for a detailed engineering inspection and refurbishment of the floor. We are determined, however, to continue observing with the Great Lick Refractor, despite the obvious elevation, access and time limitations this imposes. Acquisition is a time-consuming process. To overcome some of these limitations, a 14-step ladder has been acquired in order to provide access the eyepiece, and objects shall be strategically selected for observation in order to make observing convenient. Participants step onto the floor of the Great Lick Refractor enclosure, traverse the floor, and may be required to climb at least a few steps of the ladder (which has hand rails on both sides). For safe, comfortable and inclusive observing at the eyepiece of the Great Lick Refractor from the 14-step ladder, astronomical objects must be further north (i.e. more positive) than a Declination coordinate of -15 degrees. Regrettably, depending on their position some popular objects (e.g. Saturn, Moon) shall not be practically observable with the Great Lick Refractor. The JPL Horizons interface can be used to generate and inspect ephemerides via the following URL: https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi Because of the vintage of this particular telescope and enclosure, it may be necessary to limit the number of persons on the observing floor at any one time. It is requested that no food or drinks be consumed within the enclosure of the Great Lick Refractor.Shane Dome Safety
- No one may be under a moving telescope. Move tour guests to a safe location to view telescope motion (telescope operator(s) should see where the group is and move telescope(s) in a safe manner such that tour groups should not need to relocate).
- No one may be under a dome shutter as it opens. If the telescope operator needs to open the dome during a tour, either they will rotate the dome so the group is not under it (not always possible or feasible, depending on where the Sun is in the sky) or the group shall move to a safe location. Seeing the dome open is usually worth the inconvenience of moving the group for the few minutes it take the dome shutter to open.
- Passengers are not allowed in the freight elevator. If a patron cannot make it up the stairs with the assistance of their friends/family, staff cannot carry them up the stairs (we cannnot accept the legal liability for their safety in this situation). Lending a helpful hand or arm is acceptable (using best judgment, as any conscientious and polite person would do).
Beyond a Visit to Lick Observatory
If participants wish to acknowledge their visit to Lick Observatory, one easy method would be to consider (if they have not already done so) assisting to elevate Lick Observatory's profile by liking, checking-in and/or reviewing the observatory on social media, e.g. via Lick Observatory's presence on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LickObservatory/ Material support can be provided by considering a donation or subscription to the Friends of Lick Observatory (FoLO) organization, (re-)inaugurated on 5 June 2012: https://www.ucolick.org/main/support/folo.html Further education, entertainment and observing opportunities at Lick Observatory are available via public events, such as the Music Of The Spheres (MoS) concert series and the perennially popular Evenings With The Stars (EwS), constituting Lick Observatory's summer series, described at the following URL: https://www.ucolick.org/main/visit/summer.html In 2017 the observatory instituted a sequence of Public Evening Tours, detailed at the following URL: https://www.ucolick.org/main/visit/evening_tours.shtmlWildlife
Rattlesnakes may be found on Mount Hamilton. They are important members of the natural community. They will not attack, but if disturbed or cornered, they shall defend themselves. Give them distance and respect. Mountain Lions (Pumas / Cougars): If you encounter a Mountain Lion:- Make youself look big. Stay calm, face the animal and raise your arms to look as large as possible.
- Give the animal a chance to leave. Back away slowly and be sure to give the animal a way to escape.
- Do not run away. This may trigger an attack from behind. Scoop up young children so they do not panic.
- If approached, get aggressive. Mountain Lion attacks sometimes occur by ambush, but often the animal is seen and decides to stalk towards its prey. Wave your arms, shout, scream.
- Throw sticks and stones. If yelling does not scare off the approaching animal throw sticks, stones, whatever is at hand.
- Fight back. If the animal attacks, fight back with anything you can get your hands on.
- If you see a Mountain Lion, please report it to a staff member.
Wildfire
The following video describes the 2016--2018 Lick Observatory Wildfire Reduction Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU2oX6xZGZ4.Private Tours
A daytime tour typically starts at the Lick Observatory Visitor Center and is a walking tour of the Observatory escorted by a staff member, including behind the scenes access to the 3-m Shane Reflecting Telescope (the main research instrument used by the astronomers at Lick) and the 36-inch Great Refractor. History and current science conducted at the observatory are highlighted on the tour. Typical duration: 2 hours. An evening tour in the company of a staff member starts at Lick Observatory Visitor Center and guests can look forward to seeing the 3-m Shane Reflecting Telescope (the main research instrument used by the astronomers at Lick) and learning about the on-going research in astronomy and astrophysics and, hopefully (weather permitting) viewing astronomical objects through the 36-inch Refractor. Typical duration 4-5 hours. For both daytime and evening tour, a 1 hour lecture and presentation is also available, highlighting the life and times of James Lick, the history of his observatory and it's scientific contributions. Tours are subject to fees and require a certificate of insurance for the participants. Insurance requirements are described at the following URL: http://reo.ucsc.edu/forms-docs/webdocs/files/UCSC%20Use%20Permit%20Insurance%20Requirements%20Revised%207.11.13.pdf If the main gates are open, pre-arranged tour groups are authorized to proceed to the Main Building/Visitor Center directly. Shortly before the scheduled start time of a pre-arranged tour, staff shall check the main gates to ensure that vehicles gain entry. Staff will also be available to enable access to the Main Building / Visitor Center restrooms. For the duration of any visit, participants are requested to ensure that vehicles are parked out-of-view of traffic ascending Mount Hamilton Road. All vehicles should be parked such that other vehicles are not prevented from departing and that both pedestrian and vehicular access remains unobstructed at all times. Walking tours involve climbing over 100 steps and a total walk of over half a mile. It would greatly assist preparations to receive visiting groups if the Observatory could be notified in advance:- If any participant(s) require special mobility/access consideration(s).
- The number of participants in the group.
Environmental Constraints
- Airbourne Particle counts and Thresholds. 0.3 micron particles ... Warning 12000 per 0.24 l ... Closure 17000 per 0.24 (with discretionary upper limit of 23000). 0.5 micron particles ... Warning 800 per 0.24 l... Closure limit 1000 per 0.24 l. Particle counts are reported at the following URL: http://mtham.ucolick.org/techdocs/MH_weather/mirrors/rapide2.html. If the particle counts are out of constraint, then we'll be conservative. In marginal cases, the telescope operator may elect to open the enclosure partially to see if differences between internal and external particle counts can be resolved by the influx of fresh air. Ultimately, the decision rests with the operator, but strongly guided by the thresholds. 2017 analyses of particle counts is available.
Visiting Scientists
- Introduction to Instrument ("Check-out") Under normal circumstances, new users and/or observers unfamiliar with an instrument must attend the observatory in order to undergo a local introduction ("local check-out") and orientation with a resident support astronomer, starting on the afternoon immediately before their local run commences. Prior to Sunset, this consists of introduction to the instrument and its operation, discussion of observing strategy, preparation, safety and notification of potential restrictions (which can require 2 or more hours) and must allow sufficient time for calibration activities (which, depending on instrument configuration, can require several additional hours). After Sunset, two independent successful acquisitions of a science target in the presence of a resident support astronomer are normally sufficient to complete a local introduction. Only observers with experience observing locally are eligible to observe remotely. Potential remote observers must have previously attended and completed a local introduction with a resident support astronomer and sufficient experience must have been gained. Potential remote observers must receive an additional remote observing introduction with a resident support astronomer (via video conferencing facilities at a designated remote observing location) during the afternoon immediately before their remote run commences. This remote introduction consists of information and reminders and is normally completed in less than one hour. Experience shows that it is impractical to attempt to provide local and remote introductions to groups larger than 2 persons. If introduction is required for more than 2 persons, multiple introductions must be scheduled. Special circumstances (e.g. high incidence of COVID-19) may mandate waiving the requirement that new observers unfamiliar with an instrument must attend the observatory in order to undergo a local introduction ("local check-out"). As an alternative, observers should prepare for a "virtual/remote check-out" (via Zoom video conferencing facilities and appropriate observing software) with the assistance of a resident support astronomer, typically starting in the afternoon, several hours before sunset. If unable to observe from a designated on-campus remote observing room, observer(s) have the option to install software to enable observing from home (a.k.a. "pyjama mode observing"). If observer(s) wish to avail of this mode, they should endeavour to install the appropriate software in advance of (e.g. at least a few days before) the observing run. Instructions can be found at the following URL (and references therein): http://mthamilton.ucolick.org/techdocs/remoteObs/homeobserving/intro/ Once the software is successfully installed, observer(s) should request a VPN certificate in advance of (e.g. at least the day before) the observing run. Only a limited number of VPN certificates can be simultaneously hosted on any single night. VPN certificates become valid after noon on the day for which they are assigned. Depending on the number of sequential nights in the run, VPN certificates can be valid either for a single night, or for all sequential nights of the observing run. VPN certificates become invalid at noon on the day following the final night of the run. Note that a single VPN certificate must be used uniquely for each observer (i.e. in the case of multiple observers on the same program, more-than-one VPN certificate may be issued to enable more-than-one observer. In such cases, multiple observers must coordinate among themselves regarding which of the issued certificates they will use). At the time of the proposed remote/virtual check-out, observer(s) should connect via Zoom video conferencing to the telescope meeting ID. Zoom has implemented security measures for Zoom sessions. Please be advised that occasionally support astronomers may be required to provide introductions for multiple programs and/or instruments. Therefore, it is necessary to contact, in advance, the Support Astronomer scheduled to be on-call for the date of your observing run(s) to confirm their availability and arrange an appointment time and location to commence the check-out.
- Support Astronomer The Support Astronomer On-call Schedule is available at the following URL: http://mthamilton.ucolick.org/techdocs/staff/on_call.html
- Transportation/Accommodation The observatory does not routinely arrange transport to Mount Hamilton for visiting scientists. There are no public transport services to Mount Hamilton. Visiting scientists are expected to arrange their own transport. The observatory does not provide vehicles for the use of visiting scientists. The site is compact enough that most locations are within walking distance. Please advise us in advance of any special mobility considerations/constraints. It is recommended that visiting observers do NOT attempt to traverse Mount Hamilton Road/California highway 130 in a fatigued state. If your group requires accommodation in UCO/Lick facilities on Mount Hamilton, please make those arrangements separately following the appropriate guidance. http://mthamilton.ucolick.org/techdocs/practical_info/housekeeping.html
- Target Lists To facilitate efficient observing, it is recommended that observers prepare target lists in advance of their run. Target lists should be in the starlist format, compatible for ingestion into the observatory coords program. If your group shall be using target lists, instruction on how to import lists compatible with the coords program will be provided during the introduction. Please ensure that files to be imported comply with the starlist format. https://mtham.ucolick.org/techdocs/telescopes/starlistFormat.html
- Computing Access credentials and permissions will be provided during the introduction.
- Educational Observatory Tours Educational guided tours of the observatory occasionally take place during the afternoon. Tours are arranged for groups of typically 15--40 participants. It is usually the case that tours visit the telescope (including the control room) before Sunset. It is a rewarding interaction for both observer(s) and tour groups, if the observer(s) is/are prepared to give a brief (general public level) description of the observing program and its objectives. If observers have any objection to a tour group visiting the control room, they have every right to decline a group visit and tours can bypass the control room to enable observers to continue their work undisturbed.
Support
-
Support Astronomer On-call Scheduling.
A limitation of our scheduling system, particularly for long
term/monitoring programs is that a Support Astronomer request
is assigned automatically to every night of that program in the
telescope schedule:
http://www.ucolick.org/~mountain/sched/
Support astronomers cannot directly modify the information in
the telescope schedule. Support astronomers can only modify
information on the Support Astronomers On-call Schedule:
http://mthamilton.ucolick.org/techdocs/staff/on_call.html
Traditionally, a request for support astronomer in the
telescope schedule has meant a check-out request, which
is initially propagated to the Support Astronomer
On-call Schedule as
Kast Support
,Nickel Support
, etc. However, it is impractical for support astronomers to provide full multiple hour check-outs for all nights assigned (particularly to large programs) in any given semester. Most large program observers have already been fully checked-out for both local and remote operation. Consequently, many of the automatically generated and repeated support requests in the telescope schedule may not be required. For these cases, a way had to be found to rationalize the number of requests initially propagated to the Support Astronomers On-call Schedule. Hence, in the Support Astronomers On-call Schedule support requests are initially indicated (e.g. asKast Support,
Nickel Support
, etc.) as a place-holder to match the published telescope schedule. Thereafter, Principal Investigators are asked to rationalise their support requests by clarifing whether or not a check-out is in fact needed. If no check-out is required, the Support Astronomers On-call Schedule is modified, (e.g. to readSupport: Declined
) to indicate dates where a previously automatically generated support (i.e. check-out) request is not actually needed.Invariably, a support astronomer can be available to assist (technicians can also assist).
