Featured Careers

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Telescope operator
telescope operator

  

 
Observation System Associate

Marita Morris

 
Profile
Birthplace

Portland, Oregon, USA

Hobbies

Outrigger canoe paddling

Career

2006-2011: Undergraduate school at University of Arizona (studied astronomy and physics) 

2007-2011: Worked at two telescopes in Arizona 

    -The 21" Ray White telescope on campus

    -The 61" Kuiper telescope on Mt. Bigelow

2011: Joined Subaru Telescope in Hawaii

2016-2018: Earned a masters degree in optical sciences from the University of Arizona

 

 
Observation System Associate

Marita Morris

 
Profile
Birthplace

Portland, Oregon, USA

Hobbies

Outrigger canoe paddling

Career

2006-2011: Undergraduate school at University of Arizona (studied astronomy and physics) 

2007-2011: Worked at two telescopes in Arizona 

    -The 21" Ray White telescope on campus

    -The 61" Kuiper telescope on Mt. Bigelow

2011: Joined Subaru Telescope in Hawaii

2016-2018: Earned a masters degree in optical sciences from the University of Arizona

 

My schedule

Most of the time I work at night, at the summit of Maunakea. Work hours are roughly from sunset to sunrise.
a certain day schedule
a certain day schedule

 

16:00

Wake up! Eat dinner at Halepōhaku

17:00

Drive up to the summit

17:30

Arrive at the summit facility

- Do a dome safety check to be sure the dome is ready for observations.

- Setup the telescope and the night's instrument as requested by the observers.

- Take dome flats or other calibrations if needed. 

Sunset

Open the dome

and prepare for observations

Twilight

Do a focus test

to see where the best focus is for the night

- Half hour after sunset

Begin taking science data. Continue taking data all night long. 

- Just before sunrise

Close the dome and put the telescope in stow position. Once closed, go do a dome safety check at the end of the night. 

- Just after sunrise

Depart the summit to return to Halepōhaku

6:00

Eat breakfast at Halepōhaku

7:00

Return to my room and go to sleep

 
 
 
 
my memorable photo
my special item

Ice crystals

This is a photo of sunrise after a particularly cold night. There was frost everywhere, and these tiny ice crystals covered everything, including our cars. This photo was taken through the car windshield, which is where the crystals are sitting. Behind the crystals the shadow of Maunakea can be seen as the sun rises from somewhere behind the camera.

They protect me!

This is a picture of my winter coat and hard hat, both of which must be worn when inside the dome at the summit of Maunakea. The coat protects from the cold, while the hard hat protects my head. These objects both get used every time I go into the dome during a night shift.  
my memorable photo

Ice crystals

This is a photo of sunrise after a particularly cold night. There was frost everywhere, and these tiny ice crystals covered everything, including our cars. This photo was taken through the car windshield, which is where the crystals are sitting. Behind the crystals the shadow of Maunakea can be seen as the sun rises from somewhere behind the camera.

my special item

They protect me!

This is a picture of my winter coat and hard hat, both of which must be worn when inside the dome at the summit of Maunakea. The coat protects from the cold, while the hard hat protects my head. These objects both get used every time I go into the dome during a night shift.  

 

 
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