Alistair Walker (awalker@noao.edu) and Ron Probst (rprobst@noao.edu)
Due to sabbaticals and other comings and goings of the scientific staff, there have been some changes in staff responsibilities related to telescope, instrument, and visitor support. The reorganization of administrative responsibilities into AURA Observatory Support Services should be transparent to users, but a summary of whom to ask about what seems timely for these activities also. Everyone listed below can be contacted by email. Addresses are of the form (first initial + last name)@noao.edu, for example msmith@noao.edu. Where two names are listed, please copy any query to both people.
A useful summary of whom to ask about what can be found on our Web pages at http://www.ctio.noao.edu/obsaid/staff_resp.html . This is accessed from the CTIO home page by clicking on "Observing Resources and Forms," scrolling to the section "CTIO staff support," and clicking on "staff members to contact."
Astronomers who are awarded observing time at CTIO are assigned a staff contact scientist, named on the Proposal Report Form. This is your contact for astronomical and technical questions prior to your run. It is also wise to touch base with your contact upon arrival in La Serena. During your run, this is also the person to contact with any question that mountain Observer Support people can't answer. Your staff contact can be identified by consulting your Proposal Report Form or by following the Web links given above to the list for the current semester, e.g., http://www.ctio.noao.edu/obsaid/contacts_1999B.html .
Individual staff scientists have particular responsibilities for various telescopes and instruments. Your staff contact may refer a query to one of these local experts. They can also be consulted for information about our facilities before a proposal is scheduled, for example while preparing your proposal. Follow the Web links via "staff members to contact" to .../obsaid/responsibilities.html for the current list.
The Telescopes Operations division (TELOPS) is responsible for operating and maintaining the telescopes and instruments on Cerro Tololo. TELOPS is divided into three sections. People in Observing Support are responsible for introducing observers to their telescope and instrument, and for nighttime operations. This team is backed up by Telescope Mechanics and by Telescope Electronics. Specific members of the Electronics Section are knowledgeable and responsible for various instrument systems. Names and lists are Web-accessible via the "staff members to contact" page. Normally, you would not need any advance contact with these staff. The division manager is Oscar Saa. While you are on the mountain, he is the person to talk to (together with your staff contact) if some difficulty that needs real-time resolution seems to persist.
If there is an instrument or telescope problem, the night assistant will call the relevant people to assist. On the 4-m this call-out is allowed at any time of night. On the smaller telescopes, there is a midnight cutoff. Almost all problems can be fixed by the Tololo support team, at times in consultation with staff in La Serena. Some problems take longer than others; if there is a failure lasting more than one hour, the observers are strongly urged to call their contact scientist. Our electronic nightly reporting system should also be used to ensure prompt follow-on response the next morning.
A great deal of necessary and useful information about planning your trip and professional travel within Chile can be accessed from the CTIO homepage by clicking on "Preparing for an observing run" and then "travel information." The URL is http://www.ctio.noao.edu/misc/observer_info.html . Web forms that must be submitted in advance, to allow us to support your travel and observing plans, are found via "Observing resources and forms" on the CTIO homepage. If you need information or assistance from a knowledgeable human, one of these people can help: