Outdoor Preparedness

Clothing

Closed-toe shoes are REQUIRED for visiting the observatory.

The following are recommended:

  • Shoes that offer good protection, like boots
  • Long socks
  • Long pants (especially tougher material like jeans)
  • Long sleeves. If it gets too hot for you, wear short sleeves.
  • A hat, both for the sun if you’re there during the day and for protecting against bugs

Clothing for Colder Months

The observatory is typically much colder than the rest of the city due to its exposed location on a hill. Additionally, you will probably be standing still while outside, not hiking around. You will get a lot colder than you might think!

The following are recommended:

  • A warm jacket, coat, or sweater
  • A warm hat
  • Gloves and/or hand warmers, especially if you’re touching cold metal telescopes
  • For the coldest nights, consider long underwear or leggings under your pants

Bug Spray

During hotter months, there are mosquitos, ticks, and chiggers. The mosquitos breed in a nearby entomology research pond, so we cannot eliminate them. Therefore, visitors should use DEET or Picaridin bug spray during the hotter months.

DO NOT:

  • apply bug spray indoors
  • apply bug spray if your first stop is the classroom, like for a guest speaker or class
  • apply bug spray on skin that is under your clothes
  • apply bug spray on your face
  • touch your face, eyes, nose, or mouth with bug spray on your fingers


DO:

  • use 20% DEET or Picaridin bug spray. The percentage indicates how long it lasts, not how powerful it is.
  • apply bug spray on your clothes and exposed skin
  • apply bug spray on your neck by spraying your wrist and rubbing your neck
  • apply bug spray on your hat (before you put it on your head)
  • check yourself for ticks in a well-lit area before heading home
  • shower right after getting home, and check yourself for ticks again

Walkways

There are paved sidewalks to each building and the student deck. Please stay on the paved sidewalks to avoid walking in the grass. The grass is the most likely place ticks and chiggers will be. Additionally, there might be rogue ant hills in the grass!