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Dear Teachers and Group Leaders, The Cincinnati Observatory Center welcomes you and
your group to experience the wonders of the sky through our numerous telescopes.
Our staff and volunteers enjoy nothing more than sharing the views of the
universe with others. However, all of the equipment that we use is fragile
and expensive and some items are historic masterpieces, thus irreplaceable. Due to the nature of working in darkness
is as well as the function of the telescopes, there are safety concerns.
Please review the following rules with your group before your visit and help
us maintain these rules during your viewing session. Thank you very much. 1.
The Cincinnati Observatory Center is a national
historic landmark. The buildings and grounds of the Center should be treated
accordingly. We ask that there is no running or jumping in and around the
buildings. Prepare your students to use Museum Voices when in the
building. We expect you to provide
enough chaperones to effectively supervise all your students. 2.
We ask that all equipment, objects and artifacts are
treated with care. If there are any questions as to the operation or
examination of an item, please ask a volunteer for assistance. 3.
For nighttime viewing in the dome, we will often have
to dim or completely turn off the lights. While everyone's vision acclimates
to the darkness, please refrain from any sudden moves. Proper vision will be
achieved after a few minutes. 4.
While viewing, please refrain from touching the
telescope. 5.
Please let us know if you cannot see anything in the
telescope. We
will be more than happy to readjust the telescope so that you will be able to
see. Also if the object doesn't appear to
be in focus, please let us know. 6. Only
one person on the viewing platform at one time. While waiting for your turn
please do not touch the viewing platform. 7.
Please take your time viewing objects. With dimmer objects,
it's better not to look directly at the object rather move your eye around
the field of the eyepiece. Please feel free to ask the operator any
questions. At the same time be conscientious that there are others who wish
to look. 8.
Be
sure to dress for the weather. The Observatory dome is kept at the same
temperature as the outside air. In the winter time it can be very cold Some Frequently Asked Questions You may want to inform your students about the
Cincinnati Observatory Center prior to visiting. Below are some frequently asked questions regarding our
facility and programs. Q: How old
are your telescopes? A: We have
two historic telescopes. One, which
dates back to 1842, is the oldest professional telescope in the United
States. We refer to this telescope as
the “Merz and Mahler” telescope – after the guys who made it in Munich,
Germany. This is an 11 inch refractor
telescope which we use during most programs.
Our
other historic telescope was made in 1904 in Cambridgeport, Massachusetts by
Alvan Clark and Sons. This is a 16
inch refractor telescope which sits in our larger building. Q: What is
a refractor telescope? A: A
refractor telescope is the classic design most people think of when they
think of telescopes. It has a lens
(or two) at the top of the telescope which focuses light through a hollow
tube. You look through an eyepiece at
the bottom of the telescope. Refractors
are one type of telescope design, but we also have many reflector telescopes
as well. Q: What is
a reflector telescope? A: Instead
of a lens, reflector telescopes use a series of mirrors. The main mirror is located at the bottom
of the telescope. This mirror
collects light and reflects it up to a secondary mirror which reflects the
image out the side of the tube. You
look through an eyepiece on the side of the telescope instead of the bottom
like a refractor. Q: Is the
Cincinnati Observatory famous for discovering anything? A: The
greatest thing discovered in our telescope was a new star orbiting the star
Antares. Antares is a red giant star
marking the heart of Scorpius the scorpion. Most
of the work done at the Observatory involved studying double stars and
computing the orbits of minor planets (asteroids and moons). Q: Were
any comets discovered at the Observatory? A: Unfortunately
not. We even have a room specially
designed to hunt comets. We call it
our “cone room” because the shape of the dome resembles a cone more than a
dome. Through a bad design, bad
weather, and bad luck, we have never discovered one comet. When You Come Below
are some sample questions for your students to uncover during their visit to
the Observatory. You can use this as
a follow up to your visit (to see who was paying attention) or as sample question
for them to ask while they are here.
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