quarterly report (3) fy 2005 · 2005-07-28 · quarterly report (3) fy 2005 april 1 – june 30,...

NATIONAL OPTICAL ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORY

Quarterly Report (3) FY 2005 April 1 – June 30, 2005

Submitted to the National Science Foundation Pursuant to Scientific Program Order No. 1, Article 5-C

Cooperative Agreement No. AST-0132798, Article VI

Also published on the NOAO Web site: http://www.noao.edu

NOAO is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation

Kitt Peak was featured in a major photo profile in the May 2005 issue of Discover Magazine, keyed to a special aerial photo of the mountain taken by a freelance photographer for the magazine from a helicopter. Each of the two dozen telescopes on Kitt Peak received its own individual photo box and identifier information, in a story titled “Kitt Peak: Telescope Heaven.”

i

NOAO Quarterly Report (3) FY 2005 April 1 – June 30, 2005

Submitted to the National Science Foundation Under Cooperative Agreement No. AST-0132798

July 22, 2005

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Public Affairs and Educational Outreach (PAEO)

Media and Public Information .................................................................................................. 1

Public Outreach ........................................................................................................................ 2

Educational Outreach................................................................................................................ 3

Other NOAO Educational Outreach Activities......................................................................... 4

Site Safety Reports

Tucson and Kitt Peak................................................................................................................ 6

NOAO South and AURA Observatory..................................................................................... 9

NATIONAL OPTICAL ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORY

NOAO QUARTERLY REPORT (3) FY 2005 1

PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH (PAEO)

Media and Public Information

Kitt Peak was featured in a major photo profile in the May 2005 issue of Discover, keyed to a special aerial photo of the mountain taken by a freelance photographer from a helicopter. Each of the two dozen telescopes on Kitt Peak received its own individual photo box and identifier information in a story titled “Kitt Peak: Telescope Heaven.”

The Mayall 4-meter telescope and the environs of Kitt Peak set the scene for an April 17 Los Angeles Times magazine column on the World Year of Physics and the legacy of Albert Einstein, written by reporter Dan Neil following an overnight visit on the mountain.

Joan Najita was guest commentator on a NASA Chandra science news telecom discussing the implications of new X-ray observations of protoplanetary discs in the Orion Nebula for planetary formation. She was later quoted in a story in Science magazine and several astronomy Web sites.

The New York Times Sunday Travel Section on June 4 highlighted the Kitt Peak Advanced Observing Program as an appealing family destination.

The Pasadena Star-News reported that “Students Get Coveted Spitzer Time” in a June 29 story on the successful proposals of 12 NOAO TLRBSE teachers to observe with director’s discretionary time on NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. Mercury magazine also featured the TLRBSE program in a long feature story authored by Katy Garmany.

The Arizona Daily Star covered NOAO and Kitt Peak frequently this quarter, including a page 1 Tucson section story on NSF funding for the $6.6 million ODI camera for WIYN on May 27 and a series of page 1 stories in late June and early July on the role of Kitt Peak in professional and public activities related to the NASA Deep Impact mission.

NOAO images were featured four times as the “Astronomy Picture of the Day” and two times as the Space.com featured image. The image on the NOAO home page was replaced six times, and three new images were added to the online Image Gallery

Type/Origin of Request Number

Information requests/inquiries about astronomy/science (phone calls, e-mails, and walk-ins/requests for posters, bookmarks, brochures, etc.)

411

Requests and inquiries for use of NOAO images 566

Total 977

Public Affairs & Educational OutreachInformation Requests & Inquiries

April - June 2005

2 NOAO QUARTERLY REPORT (3) FY 2005

NOAO Press Releases:

• Kitt Peak to host Special Evening Program for Deep Impact Comet Event on July 3

• More than 40 Nights of Kitt Peak Observations of NASA’s Deep Impact Comet to Culminate on July 3

• Kitt Peak Visitor Center to Provide Live Images of Comet Impact

Public Outreach

Public Outreach manager R. Fedele represented NOAO at the 2nd “Communicating Astronomy to the Public” conference held at ESO in Munich, Germany, in mid-June. The focus of the conference was to bring together the producers of astronomical information (research scientists), public information officers (connected with large observatories and space missions), and mediators (science reporters and writers, and staff members from museums and planetariums) to improve communication and collaboration, and refine input to a parallel IAU committee.

A new floor was installed in the Kitt Peak Visitor Center, replacing the old carpet and tile in the main exhibit area. The new floor will be easier to maintain and is a lot more durable in standing up to visitor foot traffic.

Final preparations were completed to initiate the Kitt Peak Visitor Center Membership Program. The goals of this program are to provide a communications vehicle for the interested public on events, happenings, and recent astronomical news about Kitt Peak and NOAO, to help expand the audience for our informal science education programs for the public, and to add another educational piece for public distribution through the members’ newsletter, and to build stronger overall community support for the KPVC and NOAO.

The Mayall 4-meter visitor galley received a makeover with the addition of new (and newly reprinted) astronomical images to replace the old faded ones.

In conjunction with the NSO, Coronado/Meade telescopes and the Public Outreach Department, phase one of a retrofit of the old Razdow dome has occurred. Phase two is scheduled to occur next quarter with the establishment of Coronado Telescopes for daytime viewing of the Sun by the public.

Staff conducted presentations and tours of Kitt Peak for the Elderhostel program in conjunction with the University of Arizona’s Extended University on April 4 and 5.

On May 11, twenty-two British astronomers and other scientists, accompanied by their spouses, toured Kitt Peak. They visited the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope Facility and the Mayall 4-meter telescope as part of an extensive tour itinerary of the Southwest and various observatories.

Group/Program VisitorsGeneral Public Tours 3,415

School Groups K-12 392

Special Tours 0

Nightly Obs. Programs 85

Advance Obs. Programs 57

Other visitors - est. 15,000

Total Visitors 18,949

Kitt Peak Visitor CenterSummary of Visitors

3rd Quarter 2005


A new program debuted on June 11: “Strings under the Stars”. Visitors arrived at the picnic area below the summit of Kitt Peak and enjoyed an hour of music beginning at sunset with the Tucson Junior Strings Quartet. The music then gave way to an hour-long star party with viewing through three small telescopes.

The Laurel Clark Earth Camp, a collaborative effort between the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory of the University of Arizona, culminated with the Nightly Observing Program on Kitt Peak, including a presentation by Dr. Michael Meyer of Steward Observatory. The twenty-two campers and seven staff then observed with the 20-inch visitor center telescope before retiring to the picnic area for a campout. The event was attended by Ms. Marge Brown, Dr. Laurel Clark’s mother.

June 20 began a week-long astronomy day camp conducted by public outreach staff and organized by Arizona Youth University – University of Arizona. Thirteen middle school and high school students participated in hands-on activities, a tour of the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab, and the Nightly Observing Program at Kitt Peak.

Educational Outreach

Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education (TLRBSE)

The Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education (TLRBSE) program completed an intensive 15-week distance-learning course for teachers. The 18 TLRBSE graduates met in Tucson for advanced training on astronomy research projects as well as mentoring and leadership training. The TLRBSE program continues its successful move to NOAO core funding, with funding shared between NSF ESIE and the NOAO PAEO department. This year’s cadre of teachers was outstanding in every respect and made maximum use of the distance learning course and immersion workshop in Tucson. Stephen Pompea continues as TLRBSE project director with Katy Garmany replacing Steven Croft as project manager. Garmany is also serving as editor of the NOAO Research Based Science Education Journal. Croft is developing a new middle school TLRBSE project related to asteroids that can also be used as part of the LSST education and outreach effort. An extra exciting event graced the portion of the TLRBSE workshop conducted on Kitt Peak: on June 30, the TLRBSE teachers made some of the first scientifically useful observations of a new supernova in M51. Details are provided in the press release found at www.noao.edu/outreach/press/pr05/pr0507.html.

Project ASTRO/Family ASTRO

To better accommodate the needs of teachers to satisfy science standards set by school districts, Project ASTRO-Tucson held its first experimental workshop for the Catalina Foothills School District on Thursday-Friday, June 9-10. A group of seven 5th and 7th grade teachers (grades within which astronomy is being taught) and ten astronomer partners attended the two-day workshop at Esperero Canyon Middle School.

Highlights of the workshop included a scale-model solar system activity using the school’s playing field, a talk on different group learning styles and techniques by Janelle Bailey of the UA Conceptual Astronomy and Physics Education Research Team, a “kinesthetic astronomy” activity


led by Robert Wilson of NOAO, updates on NASA space programs by NASA solar system ambassador, Loretta McKibben, and an inspirational talk on comets past and present by renowned comet hunter and author, David Levy. A spectacular time viewing the wonders of the night sky at Kitt Peak was had by all, helping to promote the group’s enthusiasm for astronomy and the Project ASTRO program.

Two Family ASTRO events were conducted in April, one at Catalina Community Center and one at Drexel Heights Community Center. Two PAEO staff members attended and made presentations at the annual ASTRO Site Leaders meeting.

ASTRO-Chile

More than a dozen students and teachers on each side of the equator participated in the latest NOAO ASTRO-Chile videoconference between Tucson and La Serena, held on 16 April 2005 in honor of Astronomy Day. Middle school- and high school-age students at both sites gave presentations on the results of light pollution observations made by hundreds of participants in the two locations over the previous several weeks. Two of the three Tucson presentations were conducted in Spanish. The findings were presented via PowerPoint slides, maps, posters, and written reports. Tucson Unified School District participants in the videoconference hailed from Tucson High School, Gridley Middle School, and Vail Middle School. The La Serena attendees included many of the students and teachers who have participated in the most recent training workshops conducted by the local RedLaSer educational outreach group, which is funded in part by Gemini South and Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, with support from the University of La Serena.

Other NOAO Educational Outreach Activities

The NSF-funded ISE Hands-On Optics is creating six optics teaching kits and training science center educators and after-school program leaders nationwide. Development and testing work continues on Modules/Kits 4-6 which cover color, polarization, ultraviolet fluorescence, near infrared light, and optical communication. Planning continues for the late summer workshops at USC and at Lawrence Livermore National Labs. Planning also continues for talks on the program at the International Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics in Marseilles, France, and the special education sessions that Connie Walker is organizing for the meeting of the Optical Society of America in Tucson (both in October 2005). Both Walker and Pompea are working with MESA of Arizona on a fall training workshop. Other HOO workshops are being arranged in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Washington state, and Maryland. Currently HOO kits are being used at New York Hall of Science in Queens and Flandrau Science Center in Tucson. The project is in discussions/negotiations with Orlando Science Center, the Museum of Science, Boston, Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the LodeStar Astronomy Center of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, with a recent Memorandum of Agreement signed by the Adventure Science Center in Nashville. The April HOO-sponsored MESA optics competition in Arizona, now in its second year, had 12 high school teams and 15 middle school teams competing and building a Newtonian reflecting telescope. HOO supplied optics parts for the competition, the judges, as well as the competition write-ups.

The Astronomy from the Ground Up NSF ISE project with the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and the Association of Science Technology Centers had a retreat in May in Pacifica,


California as a kickoff meeting of the project principals. The project will provide professional development in astronomy for science centers nationwide and will also develop teaching kits in astronomy that are suitable for an informal science institution. Planning continues for a spring 2006 workshop in Tucson—the first training workshop. Steve Pompea, Rich Fedele, and Katy Garmany are the primary NOAO personnel working on the project.

The Investigating Astronomy NSF IMD project with TERC and the ASP has ramped up in this quarter with Steven Croft playing a key role in the creation of a large number of images suitable for the new national high school, standards-based astronomy curriculum. Croft has played a key role in the project in the choice of astronomical imagery, image processing tools, and other software tools used in this curriculum. Croft is preparing for a major project meeting in August.

The NSF-funded Collaborative to Advance Teaching, Technology, and Science (CATTS) GK-12 project continues at NOAO with graduate CATTS Fellows, Erin Doktor and Janelle Bailey (both Ph.D. candidates in the Conceptual Astronomy and Physics Education Research (CAPER) Team at Steward Observatory), working with teachers in the Tucson area. Current activities for these two graduate students are planning sessions with teachers for fall and winter astronomy classroom activities. The GK-12 Fellows have also been planning the three informal summer camps they are leading in Tucson (with some camp components being held on Kitt Peak).


TUCSON AND KITT PEAK SITE SAFETY REPORT

OSHA Recordable Occupational Injuries, Illnesses, and Other Incidents

• No OSHA recordable cases were reported this quarter.

• On April 16, an employee driving an NOAO shuttle vehicle backed into an employee’s personal vehicle. The employee’s vehicle sustained minor damage to the front bumper and there was no damage to the NOAO vehicle. An accident report was completed and no claim has been submitted.

• On April 29, vandals destroyed approximately twenty feet of fencing and cut the gate chain at the NOAO overflow parking lot. A police report was filed and the fencing was repaired.

• On May 14, shuttle vehicle #117 was vandalized while parked at Sells, Arizona. The right sliding door window was broken. A police report was filed and the vehicle was repaired.

• On May 24, vandals threw a liquor bottle at the front windshield of an employee’s car parked in the overflow parking area. A police report was filed.

Safety and Health

• Safety oversight was provided during the Kitt Peak Family Night on April 16. No incidents were reported.

• Tony Smith and Fred Wayne, members of the technical staff at MIT/Lincoln Laboratory, visited NOAO on April 21. MIT is building a 3.5-meter telescope on the White Sands Missile Range. Safety and risk management strategies were discussed for the project.

• A meeting was held with LSST- NOAO staff on April 26 to discuss preliminary safety processes and design considerations.

• Risk management considerations were discussed at the April 28, ATST M1 - Mirror Handling and Coatings Area planning meeting.

• Fifteen chapters of the new Risk Management Manual have been proofed and edited. Sixty additional chapters have been submitted for proof and editing.

• NEWFIRM shop lifting procedures were reviewed with the technical staff.

• The Kitt Peak Emergency Manual was sent to Steve Heathcote as an example and possible template for the SOAR telescope emergency manual.

• New safety signs for the Tucson GONG site were installed.

• Safety oversight was provided for the La Quinta HVAC installation.

• Risk management comments were provided for the NEWFIRM Logistics Plan.


• Comments were provided to HR regarding the obtainment of personal medical information for world travelers. OSHA and other safety regulations do not require the company to retain this type of information.

• Intermittent movement of the 4-m Mayall dome was investigated. Discussions with a number of people were conducted to determine the risk to personnel and equipment. After reviewing logic control arrangements and replacement of a defective switch on the dome crane controls, it was determined that no additional safety procedure is required when controlling the dome through the dome crane controls or the “outside the control room” dome controls. The 4-m dome truck repair procedure was reviewed and was found to be adequate.

• Contact information was updated and DOT driver information was provided to our medical examination providers (Concentra).

• Kitt Peak first aid kits were restocked.

• The Kitt Peak Emergency Manual was updated.

• Electrical grounding conditions at the Kitt Peak Visitor Center were investigated. It was discovered that most of the floor receptacles are not grounded. The Visitor Center purchased Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters that will be used with the floor receptacles.

• Tucson Electric Power was contacted to inform them of a power pole (#42) near the overflow parking area that was damaged and in need of replacement. Replacement is in progress.

• An ergonomic station survey was conducted for a staff member.

• The Tohono O’odham Nation (TON) Department of Public Safety and Kitt Peak Staff Annual meeting was held on June 29. Attending the meeting were: Ed Raina (DPS Director), Fred Rosco (TON Waste Management), Richard Saunders (Chief of Police), Craig Encinas (Chief of Fire Dept.), Guy Acuna (Wildlands Fire Chief), Lorinda Sam (TON EPA), Chuck Gessner, John Dunlop, Rich Fedele, Fred Wortman, Hal Halbedel, Bill Wood, and John Glaspey. Director Raina is newly appointed and we spent considerable time reviewing Kitt Peak organization and operations. We presented them with a current copy of the Kitt Peak Emergency Manual. Discussion topics included the possibility of improving security around the communication towers and the possibility of the TON upgrading their emergency communication system. The TON continues to refuse road rallies on Kitt Peak due to safety concerns and advised us not to stop for undocumented illegal immigrants and to report any unusual activity by calling 911. We toured some of the facilities and expressed an interest in returning for a complete tour. We encouraged them to use our facilities as a lookout and for training maneuvers.

• Third party elevator inspections were conducted by Roger Chartand CESI at Kitt Peak and NOAO headquarters on June 9. Certificates were issued for the public elevators at Kitt Peak. Modifications to the other lifts were recommended and submitted to the elevator maintenance contractors.


• CFO staff met with UA Dean of Students staff on June 16 to discuss strategies to improve our interaction with certain fraternities. We were assured that they would follow up on our concerns of parking violations and vandalism.

• A Risk Management overview was presented to the Management Committee on June 22. The Committee was informed of the following: there were no OSHA recordable injuries reported to date for this fiscal year; our experience with a few property damage instances and vandalisms during this quarter; insurance annual review; the status of the safety manual rewrite; preparations for the Kitt Peak summer shutdown; and inspection at NSO’s Sac Peak.

• Risk management considerations were reviewed in the June 23 ATST enclosure review meeting. Topics of discussion included access, ladder ways, fire protection, chemical containment and others.

• A personal protection equipment assessment was provided for the contractors working on the WIYN lightning protection rework and installation.

• A review of DOT requirements for handling and transporting compressed gases with our CDL drivers.

• CFO staff responded to three incidents of bees and wasps building hives at various locations at NOAO headquarters.

• Southwest Gas responded to complaints of mercaptan- (additive in natural gas) like smell at the NOAO headquarters. No gas leaks were detected.

• J. Moore successfully completed Hazardous Materials Transportation (HM 126) training to comply with the Department of Transportation 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

Fire Protection and Prevention

• The Tucson fire alarm system was tested and as a result the emergency contact information was updated for Central Alarm Fire Detection Alarm Service.

• The need to hydrostatically test fire extinguishers was reviewed for both Tucson and Kitt Peak. It was determined that replacing the existing extinguishers with new ones costs less. Sixty new fire extinguishers were ordered.

• Tucson's two Halon fire protection systems were inspected and maintained.

• Tucson and Kitt Peak’s sprinkler fire protection systems were inspected and maintained.

Environmental

• Approximately 50 used fluorescent light bulbs were sent for recycling.

• Chemical storage area was inventoried.

• The Kitt Peak 2005 Water Quality Report was completed by John Dunlop.


Insurance

• Insurance coordination responsibilities were shifted to NOAO. Excerpt from AURA’s VP for Administration, George Curran’s email to AURA Centers: “NOAO has agreed to resume insurance functions on behalf of AURA. Chuck Gessner is the individual at NOAO who will field your insurance questions and respond to your insurance needs in the future. Chuck has an extensive background in risk management and today is the Risk Management Specialist for NOAO. Your insurance team will consist of Chuck as the primary contact between the Centers, AURA, and our brokers. I will continue to support Chuck in the role of oversight and in making insurance purchase decisions. Pat Phelan will continue in his role with distribution of insurance costs to the operating units and Dottie Poczulp will assist with administrative support. Both Pat and Dottie are staff at the NOAO.”

• As part of the AURA insurance annual renewal process the following were completed in June:

addresses and locations verified and corrected when needed, all data has been received from the Centers and has been transferred to electronic

media, insurance applications received by PDF; updated information typed on the documents

and scanned back in to PDF, then sent to appropriate signatories; WIYN and AURA applications are complete, SOAR remains.

remaining work includes scanning various attachment reports required for the renewal, including Sac Peak’s Spill Prevention Program and some audits, a telecom meeting with George Curran on July 11, submitting the information to our Broker Marsh, and a review meeting with Marsh

• LSST Broker of Record Letters were completed and submitted to Marsh.

Security

• Automatic “door open” and door closed” sensors were installed on all three of the automatic gates.

• The two-door Keyscan controller at La Quinta was replaced with a four-door controller. This was done to ready the La Quinta conference room for key card access.

• A Keyscan system at the Kitt Peak Visitor Center was installed. Both the exterior doors and the storage area are now controlled by key card access.

• The eleventh controller was installed in room 85 in preparations to put the GROC meeting room on the Keyscan system and transferring the back door to the service yard to this controller.

NOAO SOUTH AND AURA OBSERVATORY SITE SAFETY REPORT

Inspections

A Planned Inspection Program has been put in place to reduce safety hazards in various work areas. The most relevant of these inspections are:


• Tidying scrapped materials in storage yards on Cerro Pachón, Cerro Tololo, in the La Serena campus, and in the Víctor Blanco telescope, as well as reducing these materials by donations to non-profit organizations, or disposing of them depending on their condition.

• Wilug Ltd., a subcontractor, inspected the Gemini telescope console regarding the use of FM 200 to abide by the OSHA norms.

• Electrical risk safety posters were installed on all panels of the Gemini telescope.

• The storage room and closet of the Gemini telescope was ordered, thus improving order and cleanliness.

• Work of tidying Shop I continued.

• A total of 14 inspections were carried out, 4 at CTIO, 4 at Gemini, 2 at SOAR and 4 at AOSS.

Personal Accident Investigation

• There were no reported accidents during this quarter.

Vehicle Accident Investigation

• One accident was reported during the period. It occurred on the 7th of April, at 16:20 hrs. Eric Petit was driving the Ford Aerostar (license plate OI 0378) to the office, when a pedestrian suddenly crossed the highway at an unauthorized crossing. The pick-up hit the pedestrian, who was severely injured.

Training/Talks

• Observatory personnel attended the First Encounter on Environment, organized by the Catholic University of the North.

• During this quarter the training plan at the Mutual de Seguridad was initiated.

• The guards attended a course on Risk Prevention and First Aid.

• One representative each of AOSS, SOAR, and CTIO attended the course on Human Conduct and Self-care, dictated by the School of Risk Prevention Experts.

• The entire kitchen staff participated in the compulsory Hygiene and Food Handling course.

• Two Safety PowerPoint lectures were presented to Gemini and SOAR personnel.

Emergency Preparation

• An evacuation drill was carried out at the SOAR telescope. All users and the paramedic participated in the drill and subsequent talk on emergency equipment.


• A quarterly maintenance of alarm systems and fire alarms was made at the Gemini, SOAR and CTIO telescopes.

• The NOAO Contingency Plan was widely circulated, and is now incorporated into the AOSS Web page.

• The annual maintenance of fire extinguishers on Cerro Pachón was carried out by Wilug, who are ISO 9.000 and ISO 18.000 certified.

• Lectures on transport of injured individuals, including use of rescue stretcher and immobilizing systems were presented to SOAR personnel.

Activities with Mutual de Seguridad. Cámara Chilena de la Construcción

A meeting to clarify emergency procedures and the support offered at the new Elqui Clinic was held.

Occupational Health

All workers who handle food at the observatory (Tololo and Pachón kitchens) took compulsory Occupational Health Tests, as mandated by the Sanitary Code.

Environmental

Paperwork to relocate oil and batteries from Cerro Tololo was initiated with the Health Ministry. The polluting substances will be sent to Hidronor in Santiago for final disposal.

quarterly report (3) fy 2005 · 2005-07-28 · quarterly report (3) fy 2005 april 1 – june 30,...

Documents