Visual Observations
One of the ideas that we stress during our early evening presentation is how insensitive human eyes are for observing at low light levels, such as through a telescope. If you wish, read an article called “Seeing Science” written for the Nightly Observing Program Highlights section. However, guests need not hear elaborate explanations to understand this; a first look through the telescope is enough. In fact, I often find that guests that have never looked through a telescope either have very high or low expectations about what they will see. To date, no one has jumped up and down at their first look at a galaxy. Our eyes just aren't that good! However, if this same person had looked through a smaller telescope from a brighter site before looking though our 16 inch, I would argue that the reaction would be quite the opposite. You really can't get better views than what we offer, but understand the limitations of our eyes.
Details
The Visitor Center Observatory has a fairly complete set of eyepieces (and filters when necessary). However, if you own high quality optics, you are more than welcome to bring these with you for use at the telescope.
Remember that the evening presentation for twenty guests lasts until 3 hours after sunset. During this time you are invited to participate and enjoy the visual observations through binoculars and the telescope. Sometimes specific objects you may want to see will set shortly after the evening presentation, so join the crowd to take advantage of the opportunity to look through the telescope at these objects.
Try to exercise patience when looking through the telescope and trust your eyes. Unfamiliar techniques of observing like using "averted vision" take practice but are well worth the effort. The guide will describe noteworthy details about a target, observing these will make the experience rewarding and memorable.
Finally, if you wish to combine visual observations with CCD imaging, keep in mind that when the camera is on the telescope you cannot look through the telescope with your eye. Furthermore, when an instrument like a CCD camera is used there are many adjustments and calibrations for setup procedures. Once the camera is on, leaving it in place minimizes the time needed to get everything up and running. A suggestion would be to make all visual observations in the begining of the night and then use the CCD camera. If there are visual targets that rise late, merely allow for time at the very end of the night before the sky becomes too bright from the morning twilight.
