Undergraduate ASTR Labs

Recorded weather hotline: 434-924-7238

Most 1200-level ASTR students will be required to complete the Constellation Lab and Telescope Observation activities. You are required to sign up for these labs in advance using the Astronomy Lab Registration Website.

*PLEASE NOTE: You must be connected to UVA wifi or the UVA Anywhere VPN to sign up for a lab.*

Fall 2023 Schedule:
Mondays & Thursdays, times vary depending on the lab.
First Lab: Monday September 4, 2023
Last Lab: Monday December 4, 2023

No labs are held on Reading Days or scheduled University holidays. If you have issues signing up for a lab time, please contact your TA.

Constellation Quiz/Lab

Teaching Assistants (TAs):
Kara Green (zas6xr@virginia.edu)
Alex Garcia (aku7cf@virginia.edu)

Schedule:
Mondays & Thursdays, times vary. Please check Saturn for specific lab times.
First Lab: Monday September 4, 2023
Last Lab: Monday December 4, 2023

HOW TO PREPARE: Call the weather hotline before coming to the Astronomy Building. Even if it appears clear, always call to double check. 434-924-7238

WHAT TO BRING: Dress appropriately; you will be outside for the whole lab.

TRAVEL: If you have a car, free parking is available around the Astronomy Building. If you plan on walking, be safe; avoid walking alone and utilize UVA safety resources.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Arriving on time is important, since the TAs will begin the activities promptly at the start of the scheduled session. The lab consists of three parts:

The TA will give a brief tour of the night sky and explain the basic concepts needed to complete the activity. The TAs will assume that the students have no knowledge of the night sky.
The students will have about 20-30 minutes to complete a guided activity. The activity questions will emphasize concepts and navigation on the night sky using the constellations.
In the last 10 minutes or so, the TA will administer a brief quiz drawn from a list of objects from the activity. Students will record their answers on their sheets.

WEATHER CONSIDERATIONS: If the sky is cloudy, this program will not run even if the sky clears after 9:00 PM. You can call the weather hotline after 7:30 PM (or the updated message after 8:30 PM) to find out if the lab will be run that evening.

Completing the Constellation Lab as early as possible in the semester is highly recommended. If you procrastinate, bad weather may prevent you from completing your lab before the deadline. Unless your professor tells you otherwise, NO exceptions to the deadline will be made due to bad weather. Deadlines vary by instructor so check your syllabus.

Telescope Observing Lab (TelObs)

Teaching Assistants (TAs):
Kara Green (zas6xr@virginia.edu)
Alex Garcia (aku7cf@virginia.edu)

Schedule:
Mondays & Thursdays: 9:00-11:00PM
First Lab: Monday September 4, 2023
Last Lab: Monday December 4, 2023

Some 1200-level ASTR students will be required to complete the Telescope Observing Lab activity. You are required to sign up for this lab in advance using the Astronomy Lab Registration Website. This exercise consists of observing and sketching four objects seen through the telescopes at McCormick Observatory.

HOW TO PREPARE: Call the weather hotline before coming to the Astronomy Building. Even if it appears clear, always call to double check. 434-924-7238

WHAT TO BRING: Dress appropriately; the telescope domes are not temperature controlled, and some work will be done outside. Please note that no smoking or vaping is allowed even outside while on observatory grounds.

TRAVEL:

McCormick Observatory: 600 McCormick Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22904
Do not walk up to the Observatory. You must meet the TA by the Astronomy Department sign in front of the building by 9:00 PM in order to receive your copy of the lab and your instructions.
If you have a car, you may drive to McCormick Observatory. Since parking is extremely limited, no car with fewer than 3 occupants will be allowed to park at the observatory. Therefore, if you choose to drive, carpooling is essential. Do not park in the driveway of the white house next to the Observatory. This is a private residence.
Students without vehicles may receive a ride in the Astronomy Department Van, driven by the TA. After the completion of the lab, students will leave in the car they came in or will receive a ride down in the van.

WHAT TO EXPECT: During this lab, you will observe and sketch four objects through binoculars, the 6-inch and 14-inch telescopes in the Student Observatory (The Doghouse), and the 26-inch telescope in the Observatory Dome. The telescope operators will point the telescopes and binoculars to various objects and provide information about what you are viewing. Once you have finished your sketches and descriptions, be sure to sign the attendance sheet and obtain the telescope operator's or T.A.'s signature. When you have finished you should submit the completed lab sheets to the T.A. at the Observatory.

WEATHER CONSIDERATIONS: If the sky is cloudy, this program will not run even if the sky clears after 9:00 PM. You can call the weather hotline after 7:30 PM (or the updated message after 8:30 PM) to find out if the lab will be run that evening. Later in the semester, we may run cloudy labs. TAs will provide additional information if cloudy labs will be held.

Completing the Telescope Observing Lab as early as possible in the semester is highly recommended. If you procrastinate, bad weather may prevent you from completing it before the deadline. Unless your professor tells you otherwise, NO exceptions to the deadline will be made due to bad weather. Deadlines vary by instructor so check your syllabus.

Note: Constellations quizzes are NOT be given at McCormick Observatory. Please refer to the map at the top of the page.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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How do I sign up for a lab?

Saturn is the software used to run lab signups. If you have difficulty logging in, you should contact the TAs for assistance.

Be sure you are connected to the UVA wifi. For security reasons, you cannot sign up for labs if you are off-grounds. If you have access to the U VA Anywhere VPN, you may register off grounds if connected. Otherwise, you will need to wait until you are back on Grounds.
Create an account using your computing ID as your username. Fill in the rest of the fields accurately.
After successfully creating your account, you will land on the home screen. This includes a map of the lab areas.
There will be a gray menu on the left side of your screen, which includes "Register for Constellation Quiz Lab" and "Register for Telescope Observing Lab." Click on the lab you want to register for.
Follow the instructions at the top of the screen. Dates and times that are unavailable will show as "Full." Select the date and time available you want to attend, and select your professor in the dropdown menu. When you are done, click "Submit Registration Request."
The final screen will show your registered labs. You have successfully registered for a lab.

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Can I register for a later time but show up to a different time?

No. Please attend the time you sign up for. The roster for each lab is generated based on signups. If you attend a different time, you will be marked absent for the time you selected.

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What if I have trouble logging in?

First, be sure that you're If you confirm you are connected to the wifi and it's still not working, contact the TA of the lab you are attempting to sign up for. They will provide guidance on how to proceed.

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How are labs graded?

Depending on the course, each professor will grade labs differently. Some will provide a letter grade, others use pass/fail. Refer to your course's syllabus for more information.

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I completed the lab but I haven't gotten my grade back yet.

Labs are usually graded within 2 business weeks. Please be patient if it takes a little longer. If several weeks have passed with no grade, reach out to your professor.

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Can I retake a lab if I get a poor grade?

Speak to your professor regarding their policy on completing labs. Keep in mind that the later in the semester it gets, the fewer slots will be available to complete the lab.

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I can no longer attend a lab that I signed up for. What should I do?

If you know you will be missing a lab that you registered for, log into Saturn and "unregister."

Login to Saturn
Go to "My Labs" in the left menu.
Select the box of the lab you would like to remove under "Unregister."
Click "Submit Unregistration Request"
You have successfully unregistered.

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I signed up for a lab, I arrived, but I can't find anyone here.

If you have confirmed you are in the correct spot and you have not called the weather hotline (434-924-7238), call to confirm labs are being held. Most likely, the lab was cancelled. We recommend always calling the hotline BEFORE leaving to attend a lab. Please do not call the Astronomy Department main phone. It is not monitored after 5pm.

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It's the end of the semester and I never completed a lab. What should I do?

It is highly recommended to sign up for labs as early as possible. No exceptions are made to students who procrastinated or missed the lab due to bad weather. If you have a special circumstance that will prevent you from completing the labs in a timely manner, please contact your instructor at the beginning of the semester. Do not wait until the last minute. Labs that are not complete will result in a zero for the assignment.

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Can I go up to the Observatory on a night that labs aren't held?

Visiting the observatory afterhours on a night when there are no labs is considered trespassing. The area is monitored by 24-hour video surveillance, and there is a private residence occupied by the observatory caretaker. Trespassers will be asked to leave by the caretaker or UVA Security.

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I signed up for a lab but I'm not feeling well / I was exposed to COVID-19. What should I do?

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have recently been exposed to COVID-19, please contact your professor and cancel your registration. Unregister for the lab and do not attend. Follow CDC guidelines.

For the latest forecast from the National Weather Service, please visit the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport forecast page.

The Sky Calendar at Sky & Telescope lists objects of interest in the current night sky.