Visiting Astronomers Guide
Rev. October 2009
Important Notice!!!
Effective August 17, 2009, All Staff and Visiting Astronomers at SOAR will be accommodated in the dormitories at “Cerro Tololo”, due to the construction expansion and remodeling works of the AURA Hotel on Cerro Pachón which are expected to be completed by January 2010.
Visiting astronomers will travel from CTIO to SOAR or vice-versa in an observatory vehicle driven by the telescope operators.
Introduction
This brief guide describes logistical arrangements for Visiting Astronomers scheduled to observe at the SOAR Telescope. Any questions and booking requests should be addressed to your Visit Coordinator:
Phone: +56-51-205215, Fax +56-51-205212
Phone: +56-51-205323, Fax +56-51-205368
The SOAR Telescope is located on Cerro Pachón at an altitude of 2,738m, some 400m from the Gemini South telescope, and 12Km from Cerro Tololo. The map below shows the locations of SOAR, Gemini-South, and the dining and dormitory facilities on Cerro Pachón.
Should you need information regarding: Visa requirements to enter Chile, Currency, Customs Procedures, Travelling to La Serena, Taxis and Buses in Santiago and Arrival in La Serena, please goes to the following link http://www.ctio.noao.edu/diroff/obser_trav.htm
Transportation Up and Down from the Mountains
SOAR Visiting Astronomers are welcome to use the available carryall services to get to/from Cerro Tololo or Cerro Pachón; however, these must be requested in advance through the Visit Coordinator.
The carry-all trip from the La Serena offices to the CTIO Observatory is 1h30m, and to SOAR telescope is about 1h45m.
The current carry-all schedules are:
UP TO THE MOUNTAIN
| La Serena | Cerro Tololo | Cerro Pachon | Departure Place |
Monday thru' Friday | ►Dep. 09:00
| | Arr. 10:45
| Gemini Building |
►Dep. 12:00
| Arr. 13:30
| | AURA Reception |
►Dep. 16:20 | Arr. 17:50
|
| Gemini Building
|
| ►Dep. 17:50
| Arr. 18:05
| Tololo Dining |
Saturday | ►Dep. 08:30
| Arr. 10:00
| | AURA Reception |
DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN
| Cerro Pachon | Cerro Tololo | La Serena
| Departure Place |
Monday thru' Friday |
| ►Dep. 11:20 | Arr. 11:50 |
| Pachon Dining |
| | ►Dep. 11:50 | Arr. 13:20 | Tololo Dining |
| | ►Dep. 14:30
| Arr. 16:00
| Tololo Dining |
►Dep. 18:30
| | Arr. 20:15
| Pachon Dining
|
| Saturday | | ►Dep. 16:30
| Arr. 18:00
| Tololo Dining
|
BETWEEN TOLOLO AND PACHON AND VICE-VERSA
| Cerro Tololo | Cerro Pachon | Cerro Tololo | Departure Place |
Monday thru' Friday | | ►Dep. 11:20
| Arr. 11:50 | Pachon Dining |
►Dep. 14:00*
| Arr. 14:30
| | Tololo Dining |
►Dep. 15:30*
| Arr. 16:00 | | Tololo Dining |
| ►Dep. 17:50 | Arr. 18:05 | | Tololo Dining |
| | ►Dep. Pachón for Tololo at end of observing run with SOAR Telescope Operators* | SOAR Telescope |
Weekends &
Holidays | ►Dep. 14:00* | Arr. 14:30 | | Tololo Dining |
| ►Dep. 15:30* | Arr. 16:00 | | Tololo Dining |
| ►Dep. Pachón for Tololo at end of observing run with SOAR Telescope Operators* | SOAR Telescope |
*SOAR telescope operators vehicle; please check the departure time with the operators in advance.
There is a sign up sheet for the carry-all in the AURA Reception and the entrance hall to the dinning rooms. Again it would be wise to check your outgoing reservations.
Should you need a Special Transport on Sundays, holidays or weekdays, please contact your Visit Coordinator well in advance.
GETTING AROUND ON TOLOLO AND PACHÓN
Arrival
Passengers arriving Tololo from La Serena will be taken to the Round Building Office (ROB) to get a key to their room, plus indications about meal times and how to use the swipe card.
Please contact the Administrative Assistance (440) or the Nurse (430) if your need help with room, kitchen services, or with communications to La Serena or elsewhere.
Passengers arriving Pachon via the direct LSC-CP carryall service will be dropped off at the Dining Facility, while those travelling from Tololo to Pachon in the SOAR Operators truck will be taken to the telescope building.
Accomodations
All Staff and Visiting Astronomers at SOAR will be accommodated either in the dormitories or houses at "Cerro Tololo" until the construction expansion and remodeling works of the AURA Hotel on Cerro Pachón are completed.
Wirelss and Ethernet wire connections are available in all dormitories, cables are supplied. There are 110V electriciy sockets, North-American type outlets, an air humidifying system and air conditioning. A hair dryer is available in the bathroom and there is a security box in the closet for valuable items.
Room Service
The dormitories and houses are cleaned on a daily basis. Every fourth day a thorough cleaning is carried out and bed and bath linen are changed. Should you need further services, please contact Sergio Franco, Rolando Puño or Marco Núñez at 440.
Transportation from Tololo to Pachón and vice-versa.
Visiting astronomers will travel from Tololo to Pachon (about a 30 minute drive), after having lunch at Tololo, and will return at the end of the observing night in an observatory vehicle driven by the telescope operators.
Dining on Cerro Tololo and Pachón
Visiting Investigators are expected to have lunch at Cerro Tololo, and evening meals and night lunches on Pachón as normal.
Should you require vegetarian meals or a special diet , please notify your Visit Coordinator in advance so that the Kitchens can make the appropriate arrangements.
Your Visit Coordinator will provide you with a swipe card for purchasing meals either at the Tololo or Pachón Dinning Facility. Pass the card through the machine in the entrance hall, and then hand the printed slip to the cook; you will only be billed for the meals you actually partake.
Meal Schedule
Breakfast 08:00 to 08:30
Lunch 13:00 to 14:00
Dinner 17:00 to 19:00
Night Lunch At your lunchtime on Tololo, please fill out an order form to get your night lunch
at Pachón and hand it to the kitchen staff. Your pack with a thermos and
sandwiches will be ready at dinner time on Pachón.
Dietary Precautions
While in Chile it is recommended that you eat only peeled or cooked fruits and vegetables. Seafood should only be consumed cooked.
Drinking Water
Drinking water is safe at all the AURA-O facilities (La Serena, Tololo and Pachón). Elsewhere in Chile it is recommended that you drink bottled water.
Library
On Tololo there is Scientific Library located in the Round Office Building. The Librarian requests that used books be left on the library tables, not returned to the shelves. This is to prevent mis-shelving.
Laundry
There is an automatic washer and dryer outside the Tololo dining room. Please contact one of the kitchen staff or the janitor for detergent.
Charges & Payment Procedure
Prior to the start of your observing run you will be given a Credit Card Authorization Form. This should be completed and sent by FAX or delivered personally to your Visit Coordinator.
Phone: +56-51-205215, Fax +56-51-205212
Phone: +56-51-205323, Fax +56-51-205368
The completion and return of this Credit Card Authorization form grants AURA-O Accounting (AOSS) the right to charge the card indicated by the visitor for services. This invoice will be subject to an e-mail confirmation from the visitor approving the charges.
Current Fees for Services
º Lodging at Hotel or 20 Units Dorm | CL$ 37,942/night |
º Motel Room in La Serena | CL$ 24,044/night |
º Meals | CL$ 9,821 each |
º Rental Car | CL$ 6,000/day |
º Scheduled or Special Transport to/from Pachón | CL$ 28,280 each way |
Emergency Services
*Cerro Tololo
A full Medtech nurse staffs the First Aid Clinic. This is located in the ROB (ext. 430, 431). You may call for assistance in case of illness of accident. After duty hours they may be reached at the extension 453 or 454.
*Cerro Pachón
A Paramedic staffs the first aid clinic, which operates in room #7 of the Pachón Hotel. You may call 9-205577 for assistance in case of illness or an accident. For nighttime emergencies, please call 9-205578.
If you suffer from a medical condition or are taking medicine regularly, be sure to communicate this to the Paramedic upon arrival.
Alcohol/Drugs
Carrying to and/or consuming alcohol or any kind of illegal drugs on the mountains is expressly forbidden under any condition or circumstance.
Key Telephone numbers for SOAR/CTIO Staff
Name | Position
| La Serena | Summit |
Aguirre, Eduardo | Telescope Mechanic
| | 205-505/6 |
Dubó, Guillermo | Electronic Technician
| | 205-503/4 |
Estay, Omar | CTIO-SOAR Software Engineer | 205-341 | |
Fraga, Luciano | Brazilian Resident Astronomer | 205-348 | |
Gómez, Gerardo | Telescope Mechanic
| | 205-505/6 |
Heathcote, Steve | SOAR Director/Astronomer
| 205-293 | |
Maturana, Daniel | Observer Support
| | 205-500/1 |
Pastén, Alberto | Assistant Observer |
| 205-500/1 |
Parkes, Esteban | Senior Electronic Engineer | | 205-503/4 |
Pizarro, Sergio | Assistant Observer | | 205-500/1 |
Points, Sean | CTIO-SOAR Assistant Scientist | 205-201 | |
Rajagopal, Jayadev | CTIO-SOAR Assistant Scientist | 205-294 | |
Scarano, Sergio | Brazilian Resident Astronomer | 205-348 | |
Serrano, Eduardo | SOAR Site Manager
| 205-387 | 205-500/1 |
Ugarte, Patricio | Observer Support | | 205-500/1 |
Urquieta, Marcela | Administrative Assistant | 205-323 | |
|
SOAR Cerro Pachón Facilities
|
SOAR Site | 205-500 / 205-501 |
Control Room | 205-500 / 205-501 |
Electronics Room | 205-503 / 205-504 |
Mechanics Room | 205-505 |
Observing Level | 205-506 / 205-507 |
SOAR Site Fax | 205-502 |
| |
SOAR La Serena Facilities
|
Director´s Office | 205-293 |
Adm. Assistant | 205-323 |
Observing Room | 205-341 |
SOAR Fax | 205-368 |
| |
Useful Numbers on the Mountains |
| Cerro Tololo |
Round Office Building | 205-440 |
First Aid Clinic | 205-430 / 205-431 (Daytime) 205-453 / 205-454 (Night-time) |
Dining Facility | 205-460 |
Gate Control
| 205-434 |
|
| Cerro Pachón |
First Aid Clinic | 205-577 (Daytime) 205-578 (Night-time) |
20 Unit Dorm | 205-579 |
Hotel Hall | 205-570 |
Dining Facility | 205-740 |
|
