Astronomy Lab Rules (long)

[looney_librarian]

I TA for an astronomy lab as well as work at the library. It's decent money that helps pay for college and it works as a nice refresher for the simple stuff. Most of the students in the lab I TA for are pretty nice. Here are a few things that I think you should know about the astronomy labs. (these are not in any particular order)

1. Buy the newest Lab manual AND BRING IT TO LAB!!!. They change from year to year to make things clearer or to add/update/remove information. I don't care if your friend has an old version of the manual. Don't complain to me that you can't find the lab number we are doing or that your answer sheet is different from your partner's. Spend the $20 and get the latest version. Also don't complain to me that you: lost it, left it in your/friend's room, etc. We don't have extra lab manuals for you. It's your responsibility to bring it every time

2. Bring a calculator at all times. No I don't have any extra calculators. You were told at the beginning of the year to bring one at all times. You can go buy a cheap scientific calculator at numerous places. We even provide you with a pencil/calculator pouch with your 3 ring binder the first lab so you have a place to store it. Again it's your responsibility to come prepared for lab.

3. No I cannot give you answers. Don't ask me for them. I am pretty much told what the lab will be when I come to setup the lab. I do the lab within the hour before you show up so I can and do make mistakes. Not to mention I can get fired for giving you answers.

4. Be on time for lab. You signed up for a certain lab time. It's set in stone. It's going to be at this time once every week. You must be here for a certain number of labs or you fail the lab and subsequently the class. (it's in the syllabus that you received at the beginning of the class and at the first lab of the year). The teacher and I have announcements pertaining to the current lab that can make things more clear and things go more smoothly.

5. Don't start on the lab while the teacher or I are going over things. It's rude and re-read #4.

6. Read the lab first before you get started. The section before the answer sheets are full of useful information on how to do the lab. Most of the questions you are going to ask me are because you didn't read the lab in the first place.

7. Don't mess with the computers. They are already setup to do the lab and it could take several minutes to get them back up and running if you mess with them. That's time you could have spent working on the lab. Also see #4 & #5.

8. Don't ask me if we're going outside and the weather man is calling for rain that evening. I am not going to spend an extra 4 hrs cleaning the telescopes of water spots because you are too lazy to go the weather channel and look at the local weather. I have classes too and I like to sleep before them.

9. When we are outside on the roof/deck where the telescopes are, don't be horsing around. Each telescope costs over $3500 and we currently have 15 of them. You do the math if you can. (you should be able to on your calculator that you bring with you to every lab right?)
9.a. I have no problem filling out the paperwork of how you accidentally fell off of the 3 story roof/deck because you were goofing off and not following the teacher's or my rules.
9.b. Wear the proper clothing if we're going outside. Closed toe shoes are required (it's a school liability issue). Don't complain to me because you're freezing. I'm the guy that has to setup the telescopes in the first place so I already know it's cold.

10. I bring candy and small knick-knacks for special occasions and because I like doing nice things. This does not give you an excuse to try and walk over me. It will not be tolerated and I refer you to 9.a.

11. Do not bring food or drinks into the lab room. The teacher and I have stated this ad nauseam. The computer equipment there is expensive and other classes and lab sections use the room. If I'm not allowed to drink or have food in the room, what makes you think you can.

12. Read #5

13. Read #6

14. Re-read #6

15. Are you sure you read #6? Go read #6 again. Or better yet, here it is:
#6. Read the lab first before you get started. The section before the answer sheets are full of useful information on how to do the lab. Most of the questions you are going to ask me are because you didn't read the lab in the first place.

Thank you and I hope you enjoy your astronomy lab.

[Metody]

I helped out for a Geo class over at my school (I'm an undergrad). I had never considered just how shockingly immature and stupid my classmates and I were until I saw it from the teacher's perspective. Showing up five minutes before the end of office hours to demand help on labs they hadn't started, breaking or mixing up the samples, whining at the office workers because they shockingly wanted to close the main office at 5:00, instead of standing there and missing their buses because some twit had to turn their lab in at 5:15...

Oy.

On behalf of all students, I'm sorry. Even the best of students can be irritating.

[Linda]

I hear you. Oh how I hear you.
My degree was in Astronomy and I always made sure to wrap up warm and have my calculator! In fact, I often had 2 or 3 calculators cos I had friends who never seemed to have them.

And re the telescopes. The Uni I went to proudly took ownership of a new 16" Meade. Within a week, someone from the first year had decided to polish it. By breathing on it to steam it up and wiping it down with a rough woollen jumper.

<sobs>

[crazylegs]

And re the telescopes. The Uni I went to proudly took ownership of a new 16" Meade. Within a week, someone from the first year had decided to polish it. By breathing on it to steam it up and wiping it down with a rough woollen jumper.

<sobs>

How much did it cost to replace the front element?

[Linda]

I don't know to be honest but not cheap as it hadto be imported. This was a few years ago and the uni had waited well over a year for the scope in the first place. I remember much whimpering and sobbing from the staff and us final year students, some of whom had been waiting for the scope to arrive to use on their dissertation.

[Seshat]

I thought you meant the case!

My brain just wouldn't connect 'expensive telescope' with 'polish the lens with anything less than absolutely perfect polishing tools'.

[smileyeagle1021]

I hear you. Oh how I hear you.
My degree was in Astronomy and I always made sure to wrap up warm and have my calculator! In fact, I often had 2 or 3 calculators cos I had friends who never seemed to have them.

And re the telescopes. The Uni I went to proudly took ownership of a new 16" Meade. Within a week, someone from the first year had decided to polish it. By breathing on it to steam it up and wiping it down with a rough woollen jumper.

<sobs>

i'm not even dumb enough to do that on my cheap crappy classes... much less a really expensive telescope.

[Cyphr]

I clean my glasses with my shirt sometimes btu you know what - they cost 100 dollars to mill once every other year (and i get a free set inbtween :P) a telescope is pretty much irreplaceable and yaknow - not cheap to get replaced

[Stormraven]

I think I'd have let slip the name of that idiot to those whose dissertations were being held up by his stupidity.

[looney_librarian]

Oh you'll love this then. Our university has a 32" telescope that our profs use for their respective research. Every few years it needs to be resurfaced because the mirror coating gets old. We sent it for resurfacing about this time last year. We sent it out with Fedex and insured for $100K (yes the mirror costs that much). Well the company that resurfaces says that it arrived broken. Fedex says it's our fault for not telling them what it was and that they "can't insure glass upto that amount" It's in litigation right now. Luckily the company that we got the telescope from had a display model telescope that they pulled the mirror from for us to use until a new one can be made for our particular setup. Should hopefully get the new mirror this summer. Yes it takes that long to get a new mirror made because it's a lost artform and there is a waiting list for them.

[Metody]

My gosh. Both of those are horrifying - that someone would try to polish sensitive optics using wool, a material notorious for feeling scratchy, and that FedEx would really be that incredibly stupid.

[Cyphr]

Yaknow - personally it's FEDex fault - it shouldnt matter whats inside so long as its in your care treat it like something extremely fragile or like a bomb that will has a vibration sensor.

[Yfandes]

At least you arent getting nitwits in class who ask "so when will we be able to do horoscopes?" Yeah, the Astronomy prof actually complained of one or two of those a year....

[Andara Bledin]

We sent it out with Fedex and insured for $100K (yes the mirror costs that much). Well the company that resurfaces says that it arrived broken. Fedex says it's our fault for not telling them what it was and that they "can't insure glass upto that amount" It's in litigation right now.

Yaknow - personally it's FEDex fault - it shouldnt matter whats inside so long as its in your care treat it like something extremely fragile or like a bomb that will has a vibration sensor.

Actually, most people are unaware of this, but both FedEx and UPS only actually carry up to $50,000.00 worth of insurance coverage. I don't think it's really spelled out on their site, but if you're planning to ship such a high-value item, you really should speak directly with the freight company to determine their coverage.

In the case of any item over he $50,000.00 limit, it would be in your best interests to purchase additional insurance coverage from a third party such as Harbor Freight.

I only know this because we had a shipment of a $100,000.00 item to go to Canada, and a business partner (partial owner of the widget) wanted to just send it out FedEx, but the more experienced people here at the home office insisted on having proper insurance up to the full value.

^-.-^

[redmountaingoldfish]

whining at the office workers because they shockingly wanted to close the main office at 5:00, instead of standing there and missing their buses because some twit had to turn their lab in at 5:15...

At my department office we will leave at 5:00, so they can either turn in a half finished assignment or they can not turn it in at all.

Sometimes a teacher will give students a due time earlier in the day (3:30 is common). We time stamp everything, so we'll get kids who are ten minutes late begging us to write down an earlier time. Yeah, we don't do that.