Chile

The town of La Serena, as seen from the recinto. Across the bay is Coquimbo, where the giant cross is.

2009-06-05T15:54:18Z

mrbook2
The town of La Serena, as seen from the recinto. Across the bay is Coquimbo, where the giant cross is.

The house that UNC leases at the recinto. That is our rental car, the Ford Eco Sport.

2009-02-21T16:48:27Z

mrbook2
The house that UNC leases at the recinto. That is our rental car, the Ford Eco Sport.

This is the view from just outside of my dorm room. The big scope on the left is the 4m (also known as Blanco, named for the guy who donated to it.)

2009-06-05T20:13:37Z

mrbook2
This is the view from just outside of my dorm room. The big scope on the left is the 4m (also known as Blanco, named for the guy who donated to it.)

This is Pachon, the next mountain over. On the left is SOAR and on the right is Gemini South.

2009-02-21T16:51:42Z

mrbook2
This is Pachon, the next mountain over. On the left is SOAR and on the right is Gemini South.

This is that same view without a telephoto lens. That is our rental car on the right and one of the enclosures for PROMPT on the left. It doesn't have its dome yet.

2009-06-05T20:00:00Z

mrbook2
This is that same view without a telephoto lens. That is our rental car on the right and one of the enclosures for PROMPT on the left. It doesn't have its dome yet.

The view from the mountain was spectacular. Since I spent most of my time in Chile on the mountain, be prepared for a lot of views from the top.

2009-06-05T14:41:21Z

mrbook2
The view from the mountain was spectacular. Since I spent most of my time in Chile on the mountain, be prepared for a lot of views from the top.

This is one of the PROMPT domes on the right. (PROMPT 5, if you really must know.

2009-02-21T16:52:20Z

mrbook2
This is one of the PROMPT domes on the right. (PROMPT 5, if you really must know.

Just one of the many stunning views from the mountain. The building on the right is the dormitory/dining hall. This is about a 180 degree view, made of several pictures stitched together.

2009-06-05T20:03:47Z

mrbook2
Just one of the many stunning views from the mountain. The building on the right is the dormitory/dining hall. This is about a 180 degree view, made of several pictures stitched together.

Another of the PROMPT domes (PROMPT 2 I think.)

2009-06-05T10:05:21Z

mrbook2
Another of the PROMPT domes (PROMPT 2 I think.)

This is the ROB, or round office building. It is the administrative office on the top of mountain. Behind the ROB is the technicians dorms.

2009-06-05T20:03:09Z

mrbook2
This is the ROB, or round office building. It is the administrative office on the top of mountain. Behind the ROB is the technicians dorms.

These are the observers dorms, where I stayed. The middle section is the cafeteria.

2009-02-21T16:49:36Z

mrbook2
These are the observers dorms, where I stayed. The middle section is the cafeteria.

More PROMPT domes.

2009-06-05T15:57:14Z

mrbook2
More PROMPT domes.

Here you can see the state of things when we arrived. Two of the domes, PROMPT 1 and PROMPT 6, didn't have domes on top yet. They are coming later.

2009-06-05T12:43:54Z

mrbook2
Here you can see the state of things when we arrived. Two of the domes, PROMPT 1 and PROMPT 6, didn't have domes on top yet. They are coming later.

013-cactus.jpg

2009-06-05T12:54:38Z

mrbook2
013-cactus.jpg

014-rocks.jpg

2009-06-05T15:48:01Z

mrbook2
014-rocks.jpg

015-tololo.jpg

2009-06-05T10:54:43Z

mrbook2
015-tololo.jpg

016-prompt5.jpg

2009-02-21T16:47:20Z

mrbook2
016-prompt5.jpg

This is one of the old telescopes. These are off the self 14 inch Celestron telescopes. We replaced them on this trip with some custom made 16 inch scopes. More on those later.

2009-06-05T20:15:36Z

mrbook2
This is one of the old telescopes. These are off the self 14 inch Celestron telescopes. We replaced them on this trip with some custom made 16 inch scopes. More on those later.

018-view03.jpg

2009-06-05T10:51:03Z

mrbook2
018-view03.jpg

019-sunset_dome.jpg

2009-02-21T16:53:09Z

mrbook2
019-sunset_dome.jpg

020-sunset_dome2.jpg

2009-06-05T11:29:12Z

mrbook2
020-sunset_dome2.jpg

021-pachon03.jpg

2009-06-05T11:47:37Z

mrbook2
021-pachon03.jpg

023-dorms02.jpg

2009-06-05T14:17:33Z

mrbook2
023-dorms02.jpg

024-fox.jpg

2009-06-05T20:06:05Z

mrbook2
024-fox.jpg

One of several Chilean foxes that live on the mountain. They are very tame (and cute) and are more than willing to eat the scraps the cooks leave for them.

2009-06-05T20:06:11Z

mrbook2
One of several Chilean foxes that live on the mountain. They are very tame (and cute) and are more than willing to eat the scraps the cooks leave for them.

025-dome_lift01.jpg

2009-06-05T20:05:28Z

mrbook2
025-dome_lift01.jpg

026_dome_lift02.jpg

2009-06-05T10:45:15Z

mrbook2
026_dome_lift02.jpg

027_dome_lift03.jpg

2009-06-05T20:10:39Z

mrbook2
027_dome_lift03.jpg

028_dome_lift04.jpg

2009-06-05T20:16:15Z

mrbook2
028_dome_lift04.jpg

029_dome_lift05.jpg

2009-06-05T20:18:03Z

mrbook2
029_dome_lift05.jpg

030_dome_lift06.jpg

2009-02-21T16:52:10Z

mrbook2
030_dome_lift06.jpg

031_dome_lift07.jpg

2009-06-05T16:02:43Z

mrbook2
031_dome_lift07.jpg

032_dome_lift08.jpg

2009-06-05T20:01:38Z

mrbook2
032_dome_lift08.jpg

034_dorms03.jpg

2009-06-05T20:10:31Z

mrbook2
034_dorms03.jpg

This is the 4 meter Blanco (at the top of Tololo.) It is quite a beast.

2009-06-05T20:06:00Z

mrbook2
This is the 4 meter Blanco (at the top of Tololo.) It is quite a beast.

036_blanco02.jpg

2009-06-05T10:58:59Z

mrbook2
036_blanco02.jpg

037_blanco03.jpg

2009-06-05T13:20:20Z

mrbook2
037_blanco03.jpg

This is the view out of the dome of the 4 meter.

2009-06-05T16:05:41Z

mrbook2
This is the view out of the dome of the 4 meter.

The 4 meter control room.

2009-02-21T16:53:13Z

mrbook2
The 4 meter control room.

Outside the 4 meter.

2009-06-05T10:05:33Z

mrbook2
Outside the 4 meter.

042-blanco05.jpg

2009-06-05T16:23:30Z

mrbook2
042-blanco05.jpg

044-tololo02.jpg

2009-06-05T16:33:31Z

mrbook2
044-tololo02.jpg

045-prompt05.jpg

2009-02-21T16:52:34Z

mrbook2
045-prompt05.jpg

046-tololo03.jpg

2009-06-05T16:25:46Z

mrbook2
046-tololo03.jpg

Melissa and Adam. My first two partners in crime on this trip.

2009-06-05T09:52:57Z

mrbook2
Melissa and Adam. My first two partners in crime on this trip.

This is a nightime view from outside the dorms. The glow on the right is Vecuna, the closest town.

2009-06-05T16:04:45Z

mrbook2
This is a nightime view from outside the dorms. The glow on the right is Vecuna, the closest town.

050-fox.jpg

2009-06-05T11:13:29Z

mrbook2
050-fox.jpg

This fox was easily within 15 feet of me. As long as you don't move suddenly, they don't seem to mind being near you.

2009-06-05T14:47:09Z

mrbook2
This fox was easily within 15 feet of me. As long as you don't move suddenly, they don't seem to mind being near you.

fox_03.jpg

2009-06-05T10:02:59Z

mrbook2
fox_03.jpg

The moon as seen through my zoom lens.

2009-06-05T20:09:12Z

mrbook2
The moon as seen through my zoom lens.

This is what happens when you attach my camera to one of our new telescopes and point it at the Orion nebula. There are some artifacts (like banding) from my in camera noise reduction. I r ...

2009-06-05T14:08:40Z

mrbook2
This is what happens when you attach my camera to one of our new telescopes and point it at the Orion nebula. There are some artifacts (like banding) from my in camera noise reduction. I r ...

The moon through the new scopes.

2009-06-05T15:42:51Z

mrbook2
The moon through the new scopes.

For comparison, this is the Orion nebula as seen with my longest zoom lens.

2009-06-05T10:13:40Z

mrbook2
For comparison, this is the Orion nebula as seen with my longest zoom lens.

One night, around 2 AM, clouds and fog started rolling into the valley below the mountain. The effect was great.

2009-06-05T15:55:03Z

mrbook2
One night, around 2 AM, clouds and fog started rolling into the valley below the mountain. The effect was great.

Did you ever wonder what a fox looked like when it yawned? Wonder no more.

2009-06-05T11:20:31Z

mrbook2
Did you ever wonder what a fox looked like when it yawned? Wonder no more.

This is a reservoir not far from the bottom of the mountain. It was built around 2000 and they had to move a town to do it.

2009-06-05T12:46:28Z

mrbook2
This is a reservoir not far from the bottom of the mountain. It was built around 2000 and they had to move a town to do it.

This is inside the UNC house. I took this picture because we have the exact same lamp in our kitchen at home.

2009-06-05T20:02:59Z

mrbook2
This is inside the UNC house. I took this picture because we have the exact same lamp in our kitchen at home.

Adam looking cool with PROMPT in his glasses.

2009-06-05T20:29:46Z

mrbook2
Adam looking cool with PROMPT in his glasses.

061-tololo04.jpg

2009-06-05T20:26:38Z

mrbook2
061-tololo04.jpg

Melissa with the 4 meter in the background.

2009-06-05T19:57:16Z

mrbook2
Melissa with the 4 meter in the background.

All of PROMPT. The box in the lower left is GONG and the scope in the background is 2-Mass.

2009-06-05T10:08:59Z

mrbook2
All of PROMPT. The box in the lower left is GONG and the scope in the background is 2-Mass.

064-mountain.jpg

2009-06-05T12:41:02Z

mrbook2
064-mountain.jpg

Kevin hanging out.

2009-06-05T20:05:07Z

mrbook2
Kevin hanging out.

I don't remember her name, but she was observing at one of the big scopes.

2009-06-05T16:10:52Z

mrbook2
I don't remember her name, but she was observing at one of the big scopes.

067-prompt08.jpg

2008-08-07T03:09:46Z

mrbook2
067-prompt08.jpg

068-sunset02.jpg

2009-06-05T15:05:22Z

mrbook2
068-sunset02.jpg

The whole gang. Left to right, Kevin, Adam, Melissa, Dan (the boss) and me.

2009-02-21T16:48:53Z

mrbook2
The whole gang. Left to right, Kevin, Adam, Melissa, Dan (the boss) and me.

Dan snapping a picture.

2009-06-05T12:30:48Z

mrbook2
Dan snapping a picture.

This is SOAR, a 4.1 meter near IR scope.

2009-06-05T20:11:34Z

mrbook2
This is SOAR, a 4.1 meter near IR scope.

SOAR from the outside.

2009-06-05T13:27:12Z

mrbook2
SOAR from the outside.

This is Tololo as seen from Pachon. You have to drive the long winding road between the two. It takes about 30 minutes to drive (4.5 hours to walk, and Kevin and Dan did it) and you might ...

2009-06-05T11:40:30Z

mrbook2
This is Tololo as seen from Pachon. You have to drive the long winding road between the two. It takes about 30 minutes to drive (4.5 hours to walk, and Kevin and Dan did it) and you might ...

081-pachon2.jpg

2009-06-05T13:38:40Z

mrbook2
081-pachon2.jpg

This is one of our new custom made scopes.

2009-02-21T16:47:27Z

mrbook2
This is one of our new custom made scopes.

Dan, the man in charge of this whole mess. (He is the one on the right. The one on the left is Prompt-1.)

2009-06-05T11:43:47Z

mrbook2
Dan, the man in charge of this whole mess. (He is the one on the right. The one on the left is Prompt-1.)

The landscape was lit up nicely by a mostly full moon during this long (20 minute) exposure.

2009-06-05T09:58:54Z

mrbook2
The landscape was lit up nicely by a mostly full moon during this long (20 minute) exposure.

This image was created while the moon was still set by stacking five exposures of five minutes each. If you look very closely, you can see the slight break between exposures; each trail is ...

2009-06-05T20:02:51Z

mrbook2
This image was created while the moon was still set by stacking five exposures of five minutes each. If you look very closely, you can see the slight break between exposures; each trail is ...

These are the same five exposures made into an animated gif. Click on the "large" version to see it move.

2009-06-05T09:58:53Z

mrbook2
These are the same five exposures made into an animated gif. Click on the "large" version to see it move.