What do I need to complete before going to an observing session? First, please complete the field trip form, which can be found here. Second, you should sign up for a date to attend a session using the reservation form.
How do I get to the observing site? For each evening's observing, students will drive directly to the Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society Prairie Winds Observatory. Check the map first. It takes twenty minutes to get to the site from Parkland, so plan to be there at the same time the rest of the group will.
How many times do I have to go observing during the semester? Once.
The sky looks perfectly clear. Do I still have to check with the instructor? YES. Before you leave your house, contact your instructor or Erik Johnson. You should have received an email about observing and Erik also tries to contact you via text. You may also call 373-3782 extension 6407#. The recording will be updated about 30 minutes before the start time of an observing session. The weather could be changing or observing could be canceled for reasons unrelated to weather, e.g. instructor illness or no students signed up to attend.
What if I don't have a car? You might want to try to find a classmate who is going to the same observing session and who is willing to give you a ride (especially if you offer to help a bit with the gas!). If you are having trouble, ask Erik Johnson or your instructor, and they'll try to link you up with someone.
What should I bring to the observing session? You probably want a pen and a small notebook or something to take notes on, so you will remember what objects you viewed. You may just jot down your notes as soon as you get back in the car. Unless you happen to have a special observing flashlight with a red filter, using a flashlight or a mobile phone during the observing will interfere with your night vision and that of those around you. After all, you just drove twenty minutes to get away from light pollution!
What should I wear to the observing session? In a word: layers. Put on several layers of clothing, and make sure you have at least a layer or two more than you think you will need. It is always colder standing in a windy field at night under a clear sky than you could ever believe. Also make sure you have a hat, gloves, and warm, thick-soled shoes. Don't worry about how you will look; you'll be in the dark!
How do I get the points for completing the observing? The majority of points come from attendance, so make sure you have checked in with the instructor! However, you will not receive any points until you have turned in the paper, which is due within a week of attending. The minimum length for the Dark Sky Observing report is 800 words (about three pages). Your word processing program can give you a word count.
How can I possibly write three pages about my observing experience? Start with the required elements: a description of the observing conditions, a description of each object observed, and a definition of each type of object observed (i.e. if you observe a planetary nebula, write a definition of a planetary nebula). Beyond that, include what kinds of telescopes you used, what constellations you saw, a description of how the sky changed while you were there, and any other things you saw like satellites or meteors. These topics should make up the majority of your report. If you are still coming up short, you might do a little additional research on the objects you viewed. You can also write some "color," like descriptions of the weather, stories of the constellations, how you all got lost or the dog followed you around, etc.
What if I don't make it to an observing session at all? It should go without saying that this will hurt your grade in the extreme. Not participating in the dark sky observing will drop your final course grade nearly one letter grade; missing lunar observing will hurt almost as much. If the weather is cloudy for nearly all of the scheduled observing sessions, we will have to make some adjustments. But if you wait until the last month to try, and then it's cloudy all month, there is no pity. Please don't wait until the last minute!