Astronomy Club

Go to Astronomy Club of Virginia Tech Home Page

Useful Observing Tools

• SkyMaps's Evening Sky Map and Calendar Nice PDF sky chart for the current month, showing stars, constellation lines, planets, and Messier objects. Makes it easy to figure out what interesting things are visible on a given evening. Nice calendar comes with the map, detailing celestial events of interest for the current month.
• John Small's Telrad Messier Maps PDF maps showing the location of each Messier object, centered in a Telrad, shown with respect to the nearby stars. Makes it easy to find and center a Messier object in a telescope (if the telescope is equipped with a telrad; the C14 at Prices Fork has a telrad). Messier objects are the brightest 100, or so, galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters in the sky.
• The Astronomy Connection's Observing Targets Page Lots of useful information for the more advanced telescopic observer.
  

General Info, Key Usage Rules

The primary purpose of the Astronomy Club is to provide interested students with access to the Physics Department's Prices Fork Observatory. All students are eligible; members are not required to be physics majors.
 
To obtain access to the Prices Fork Observatory, Astronomy Club members must do the following:

1. Pay the annual dues to the treasurer of the club.
2. Attend a checkout session for training in operating the telescope and dome. These checkout sessions are conducted near the beginning of a semester, usually as part of a club meeting. You will learn the procedures for the proper use of the Prices Fork Observatory, and the rules for use of the Prices Fork Observatory key.
3. Obtain a keypass from the Physics Department.
4. Check out the key from the Virginia Tech Police station.

Using the Prices Fork Observatory

As part of the checkout procedure for new users, you will be shown you how to set up and use the various telescopes at the Prices Fork Observatory. In particular notice the following:

1. A list labeled "OPENING PROCEDURE: C14" is posted on the inside of the observatory dome. PLEASE follow its step-by-step instructions to set up and use the C14. Since it's all written down on this list, you won't have to remember each step!
2. There is a posted sheet inside the tan equipment cabinet downstairs showing how to set up a C8 telescope on one of the outside telescope piers.
3. A list labeled "CLOSING PROCEDURE" is also posted (upstairs and downstairs). Again, you won't need to remember these things since it's all written down --- just PLEASE follow the list, step by step.
4. The use of advanced equipment and accessories is outlined in the blue binder labeled "Prices Fork Observatory Manual." When in any doubt as to usage, check with a club officer or the Observatory Coordinator prior to use. Nearly all the equipment (including the telescopes) is fragile, and expensive.
5. Minor equipment problems should be reported for repair to the Observatory Coordinator on the next weekday. If the problem can't wait (e.g., you can't get the dome to close) call the Coordinator immediately. The phone in the dome is a campus phone: on-campus calls don't require the first two digits (dial 1--xxxx to reach a campus office); to call off campus, first dial 9.
6. DO NOT attempt to repair, clean, or otherwise physically alter any of the equipment!
7. NOTHING WHATSOEVER (telescopes, equipment, books, etc.) is to be removed from the observatory by anyone without prior approval of the Observatory coordinator. Penalty: revocation of key pass.

Some useful phone numbers: Dr. J. Simonetti (PF Observatory Coordinator), 231-8740, 951-8971; Tech Police, 911.

Rules for the Use of the Prices Fork Observatory Key

The rules can be summed up as follows: sign out the key on your way to the observatory and bring it back to the sign out desk immediately after you finish using the observatory.

The key is kept at the Virginia Tech Police dispatcher's desk, behind the football stadium on Southgate Drive.

1. If you have the key you must be at the observatory, and reachable there by phone (231-6580). There is only one exception to this rule: you are on your way to the observatory from the sign out desk, or coming back from the observatory to the sign out desk (and you get 15 minutes to get from the sign out desk to the observatory, or vice versa). Club members are allowed to call the observatory at any time of day or night to see if the key holder is there. When trying to reach someone who has the key, please allow 15 minutes travel time between the desk and the observatory, or vice versa--if you don't get an answer at the observatory, try back in 15 minutes.
2. If, when you have the key, you cannot be reached at the observatory (with the exception mentioned in rule 1 above), you may lose your key pass privilege. Complaints should be addressed to the Observatory Coordinator.
3. The key holder may not deny access to the observatory to any other club member who wishes to join him there. However, the key holder has first choice over the telescopes and other equipment.

[There is one exception to this rule: If, for reasons of safety or the protection of the observatory, in the key holder's judgment a club member and/or guest(s) should not be allowed access to the observatory, the key holder should immediately contact the Observatory Coordinator. If the Coordinator cannot be reached, the key holder can deny access to the other person(s). If you are really in a jam, call the Tech Police (dial 911 on the campus phone in the dome).]

4. The person who signed out the key is officially in control of the key. Furthermore, the person who signed out the key is officially responsible for whatever happens at/to the observatory while the key is signed out. Thus, whatever he/she decides is final. However, club members are urged to be nice to each other!
5. The key holder must return the key to the sign out desk, in person. Violation of this rule will result in revocation of key privileges.

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