{"id":245,"date":"2015-11-11T23:00:17","date_gmt":"2015-11-12T05:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/aas.austinastro.org\/?page_id=245"},"modified":"2017-10-01T19:17:49","modified_gmt":"2017-10-02T00:17:49","slug":"observing-protocol","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/austinastro.org\/index.php\/observing\/inks-lake-almanac\/observing-protocol\/","title":{"rendered":"Members Only Observing Protocol at EEO"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For the safety and security of our members there are specific protocols and procedures in place for observing out at Eagle Eye Observatory (EEO) at Canyon of the Eagles (COTE).<\/p>\n<p><b>Member Only Party Nights<\/b><\/p>\n<p>One Saturday night a month, EEO is set aside for Austin Astronomical Society (AAS) members only for the purposes of their own observing. Members have the right to visit the observing field for their own astronomical purposes. \u00a0Members can also utilize observatory scopes once proper certification has been attained.<\/p>\n<p>On member-only nights, the observatory gate road will be locked with a combination code, <u><b>6658<\/b><\/u>. \u00a0Upon arrival to the gate please unlock, drive through, and lock the gate behind you. \u00a0This lock will remain on the gate all night. Astronomers are permitted to observe through the night and to <strong>Astronomical Twilight<\/strong> (am). \u00a0However, there is no camping on the observing field.\u00a0No camper, pop-ups and RVs will be allowed on the field or parking area. Additionally, cars are permitted on the field for the purpose of unloading and loading of astronomical equipment and while said equipment is in use on the observing field. \u00a0If a member wishes to use the observatory on a member only night that member will need to obtain an observatory key from the front desk after <span style=\"font-family: Tahoma;\">providing proof of their operator status by means of their operator card and notation on the current operator list.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Non Star Party Nights<\/b><\/p>\n<p>On all other nights, not reserved for the public star parties or member only parties, entrance to the observing field is obtained by way of the COTE Lodge front desk. \u00a0Use of the observing field is allowed as long as it does not conflict with COTE scheduled groups or events and is based on the following terms:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, sans;\">AAS members are required to check in at the the resort&#8217;s registration desk upon arrival for security and liability purposes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, sans;\">AAS members are required to present\u00a0identification\u00a0to resort and park staff for verification of current AAS membership. \u00a0(membership will be checked against a master list for the time being and will be replaced with a hang-tag procedure) \u00a0Failure to provide proof of membership will subject the member to pay a day use fee (currently $6) and\/or be denied access.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma;\">Guests accompanying AAS members will pay the published day use fee of $6.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma;\">Upon check-in, AAS members will receive a gate access key from the resort and shall return it before leaving COTE. \u00a0The gate access key can be returned to the front desk or left in the after-hours drop box (Drop Box &#8211; Brown Iron Ranger) located at the gatehouse kiosk at the entrance to COTE. \u00a0A $100 fine will be paid by the AAS member for keys not returned.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma;\">Members will be required to sign the key check-out log before being given a key.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma;\">Members wishing to use the observatory will need to provide proof of their operator status by means of their operator card and notation on the current operator list. \u00a0The member will then be provided a secondary key the unlocks only the observatory. \u00a0This key must also be returned as stated above or be subject to a fine.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">AAS members are never charged a fee to visit the observatory field, but the the general public (including member guests) must pay a $7 park use fee at the park entrance or COE lodge front desk.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>It is recommended that members call the COTE front desk the\u00a0day before a planned visit, and just before you leave, to make sure the field is available. To coordinate with any other members visiting\u00a0the field that night (there is only 1 gate key and 1 observatory key), it\u00a0is also advisable to contact the COTE Astronomy Programs Manager and let him know you are planning to visit. Don&#8217;t assume that the COTE front desk will communicate with the program manager for you. \u00a0Members must be off the field by Astronomical Twilight (am).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>COTE front desk:<\/strong><br \/>\nLocal phone: 512-334-2070<br \/>\nToll free number: 800-977-0081<\/p>\n<p><strong>EEO Landline:<\/strong><br \/>\n512-715-0120<\/p>\n<p><strong>Astronomy Program Manager:<\/strong><br \/>\nJim Sheets<br \/>\nPhone: 620-242-5143<br \/>\nEmail: startracker75@gmail.com<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For the safety and security of our members there are specific protocols and procedures in place for observing out at Eagle Eye Observatory (EEO) at Canyon of the Eagles (COTE). Member Only Party Nights One Saturday night a month, EEO is set aside for Austin Astronomical Society (AAS) members only for the purposes of their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":573,"featured_media":0,"parent":243,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/page-widgets-right-column.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-245","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinastro.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/245","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinastro.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinastro.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/austinastro.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/573"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/austinastro.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=245"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/austinastro.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/245\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/austinastro.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/243"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinastro.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=245"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}