Building Maintenance

Observers are responsible for leaving the dome and living quarters in a clean and tidy state at the end of their run.

Please try to conserve water: in dry years (i.e. most years), water has to be trucked up the mountain.

Janitorial supplies, light bulbs etc are located in grey cupboard in entrance hallway and also in downstairs storage area.

There are recycling bins for glass and aluminum cans located in the KPNO kitchen area (hallway on way to TV room), or also in the dumpster near the helipad.

There is a washer and dryer in the old storage room near the bathroom. Some laundry detergent may be provided in case you have forgotten!

When you arrive, double check that the compressor circuit breaker is on, and that the chiller for the compressor (blue box above the compressor in the downstairs work area) is plugged in. Also, periodically bleed the moisture traps in the chiller.

In the summer months, vacuuming up ladybugs in the dome is a standard chore. Use the shopvac, and then dump it outside (perhaps near your competitors' telescope dome?). You may think it's a losing battle, but every bit helps. One of their favorite tricks is to crawl up the cable wrap and try to get into the CCD camera system. To combat this, try and keep the cable wrap off the floor, and spray it w/ bug spray...

And finally, here's a thought: Once or twice, take an hour that you would have spent watching TV or reading slashdot, and clean something you might not have needed to. Clean a window, straighten up some shelves, clean the refridgerator, whatever. Remember -- it's only as clean as we make it, and everyone's help is appreciated!

Checklist for End of Run

• Turn off the dry nitrogen bottle near spiral staircase.
• Turn off air compressor (by throwing the circuit breaker that controls the compressor) and unplug air dryer (the blue box).
• Trash bins in the dome and living quarters should be emptied and all trash taken to the dumpster near the helipad in the visitor parking area.
• Throw all perishables out of the fridge and kitchen cupboard. Please remember that the next observer may be weeks or months in the future, and does not want have to clean up rotten food.
• Wash and dry bed linen and towels using washer and dryer in downstairs storage area. Turn water off to the washing machine when you have finished.
• Vacuum living quarters and dome. There is an upright vacuum cleaner downstairs and a shop vac in the dome.
• Clean kitchen and bathroom --- cleaning supplies are in grey cupboard in entrance hallway.
• Most important: check that you have locked the dome and living quarters and closed windows.

• Power off CCD controller (grey box on telescope) and disconnect power from box.
• Power off telescope.
• Power off rack at bottom of circular stairs.
• Power off relay box (see manual discussion here).
• Unplug power and RS232 cable from 4x4 control box (see manual discussion here).
• Disconnect both RS232 cables from the back of Galah (one to the SBIG guider, one to Silvermax motor).
• Remember to turn everything back on again when you are ready to observe!

Last updated: 10/6/02