Day 4: First day at Kuiper

Today was an incredibly long day. I woke up at 7 to enjoy a large continental breakfast (lacking prickly pear cactus jelly), and to finish up some minor packing and blogging before we set out. Due to the group forgetting to bring the [OIII] filter, we had to take a detour to UoA. Arion, along with a few other curious students went into the office to wait for the package, while a few other students menadered about campus to find various Frat/Sorority houses. I enjoyed the tale of the Garnet Coronet, proving once again that I'm a stick in the mud. (Sherlock Holmes, for the un-indoctrinated).

After securing the [OIII] filter, we traveled to the local Safeway, a grocery. Everyone had their 1-2 items to secure, and it still ended up bein ga madhouse of college students running about like chickens sans heads. I quickly procured my 12-pack of ramen noodles and dropped them off in the communal cart. Then I ran off to hunt down my own personal goods. For Justin, Snickers. For Melissa, a bag of Funions. For myself, a full box of Graham Crackers. I went to the checkout, paid off my purchase, and was suprised to find my groceries vanished! It became readily apparent that they got mixed in with the person in front of me's groceries, where were most likely driving off across the Tuscon roads by time I noticed the discrepency. Luckily for me, they were very understanding and let me replace my missing groceries. Luckily for them, I found the entirety of this strange fiasco to be more humorous than annoying, and was as such very polite about the whole thing.

With supplies procured, all heads accounted for, and a lovely old lady having a free set of snickers, Funions, and a box of Graham Crackers, we set off for the mountain. The drive was... both kinder than it could have been and not nearly as kind as I had hoped. There were only a few moments where nausea hit me, and they were quick to pass. The drive was along a very winding, very well kept road, that started around 3200 feet and ended at a healthy 8300 feet (roughly). Along the way, we stopped at an internment camp for Japanese prisoners during WWII. They are the primary agents for building both the camp (of which little remains), and the road we were driving along, originally with nothing more than shovels and picks. One prisoner was quoted as saying (Unfortunately, I do not have the exact quote, but it was something to the effect of) "I thought mining stone with a pick was reserved for cartoons." Anybody of 1/16th decent or less were subject to confinement, including one person (to whom the site is dedicated), who refused to be drafted as protest to this contradictory opinoin. That they were loyal enough to be drafted, but not loyal enough to be citizins. He dodged the drafted, turned himself in, filled out the appropriate paperwork to be detained, flew himself out to here, where he checked in by himself to the marshal, and decided to grab some lunch and a movie while the marshal pulled up his documents. The supreme court eventually ruled that his, along with all Japanese internment camps, were unconstitutional.

The second stop we made on this 5000 foot odyssey was at an observation point. We took about 10 minutes of photographs of the incredibly scenic valley's and mountain top that stretched out before us. The altitude was, at that point, not making me sick, but was certainly not helpin with my intermittent dizziness. But words cannot adequately describe the view. Unfortunately, the internet here is a bit finicky, and I fear attempting to embed pictures will cause more trouble than its worth. I may later post a secondary blog containing just pictures of the views.

Upon reaching Kuiper Observatory, we got straight away to doing business by waiting paitently for a group of skiers to move their car, which was blocking the entrance to the observatory. Once that was done, we were welcomed into teh observatory to see teh rather intimidating telescope. After some parts were swapped out, including installing the [OIII] filter, some liquid nitrogen refills and some quick warnings to NEVER PRESS THIS BUTTON. THIS IS THE POWER OFF BUTTON, NEVER PRESS IT, IF YOU DO WE WILL FEED YOU TO THE VULTURES unless theres lightning, then follow this 28 step procedure to full shut down the telescope during which you have to press the power off button... (etc., again paraphrased.) we were given free reigh of the telescope. This was celebrated with moving into the lodge, where Justin, myself, and Dane quickly grabbed a room. Complete non-sequitor, but box springs are suprisingly comfortable to sleep on. Regardless, we had a plesent breakfast at 6 in the evening, which I had a ham and cheese with a thin layer of peanut butter sandwhich. In my defense, I was still very loopy. It was fantastic. With that, we went to observing!

Jupiter team, along with Ian [Saturn team] set up and troubleshot the camera system. Other blogs have included absolutely fantastic images of Jupiter, and you, the reader, can expect many more, hopefully even better quality than those. I took the very important job of "going away"; I took the time I would have spent getting in everybodys way and instead spent it star gaizing. In spite of Tuscon, and a few other local cities, the night sky is increadibly clear up here. There are incredibly faint stars that I've never seen before; with all these, the sky is far more populated than I expected. Melissa and I both spent hours outside last night; both of us mind-blown by the sheer magnitude of the sky.

Jupiter team finished up, the planet falling too low for clear pictures. The planetary nebulae team jumped up and started photographing NGC 2022, while I took a spot in a corner and attempted to doze off. Alas, Arion found me just as I was drifting, and assigned me to taking images. (Current time, 22:30). Justin and I took numerous photos in the Visual, Red, and were wrapping up Blue band when we were banished to the kitchen to eat. Apparently the food had been done for a few hours, and we were forced to go eat. I had smokey, was too slow to call dibs on the extra beer bratwurst. There was also peppery ramen, but I didn't have any.

After dinner, I returned swiftly to the console room to finish up NGC 2022, but the group had already moved on. Again, I was banished to "go away", where I spent another hour or two admiring the night sky. I returned to the control room at 2, and made myself unobtrusive as people continued imaging. But then the unthinkable happened.

The power went out.

Luckily, the consoles were run on backup power, and there is a backup generator for the telescope. A quick survey of the area showed all the lights on the mountain (and a nearyby town) to be off, which was confirmed when the power company was called, and we reached the recorded message "All the power to the mountain and the nearby town is currently out". Arion was able to get ahold of someone with an intimite knowledge of the generator, but it would be an hour before he arrived. As such, I, as well as many other students, left the observatory for the dorm. Too many chefs spoil the broth, right?

It was at this point I learned that unlit mountains with old wooden lodges in pure darkness are quite terrifying (although I'll never admit it). Most of the students gathered in the common area, but I took a page from horror movies, and sequestered myself in my room to sleep. Luckily, no Ax Murderers found me, and I woke up this morning at 9 to find the power restored. And thus starts day 2 of Kuiper Observing.