Telescope Facilitator Volunteer
Do you have a passion or curiosity for astronomical observing? Come join our
wonderful group of volunteer telescope facilitators and bring the heavens alive for
our Adler visitors! Telescope Facilitators provide visual astronomical observing
opportunities for our visitors and allow them to have a real-time astronomical
experience while increasing their understanding of the types of telescopes that
exist and their capabilities. As a telescope facilitator, you may be asked to
monitor one of our many smaller telescopes for either solar or nighttime viewing,
or be asked to facilitate our Doane Observatory with a 20-inch (0.5-meter)
telescope. Both types of telescopes require volunteers both during regular
museum hours and at various after hour events at the Adler and throughout
Chicagoland.
We look to Telescope Facilitator volunteers to:
• Staff telescopes on the Skywatcher’s Terrace or the Doane
observatory, explaining their use and assisting visitors with observing.
• Assist with locating, focusing on, and explaining objects found in the
sky to Adler visitors.
• Assemble, disassemble and properly maintain Adler telescopes.
Interested? Here’s what we look for:
• No prior knowledge required.
• Must be comfortable working with museum visitors of all ages and
speaking in front of groups.
• Must have an interest in observational astronomy and enjoy working
with others.
• Must be able to lift 40 lbs. and stand for two-hour shifts
Training will consist of:
• Attendance at a general volunteer orientation session.
• Attendance at a telescope training class - how to use a telescope,
practical observing facts and techniques
• Attendance at Interpretation Bootcamp - a facilitation skills workshop
•
10 hours of shadowing a veteran telescope volunteer or Adler staff
member. (To be able to use Adler telescopes on their own, all
telescope volunteers must be certified by the Telescope Volunteer
Supervisor both for solar and evening telescope use, and for use of
both the smaller telescopes and the Doane).
We ask volunteers in this position to:
• Make a regular commitment to provide safe solar viewing or evening
telescope viewing 25 hours per calendar quarter. If volunteers are able
to commit to a regular schedule, we ask that they come in once a week
(Weekday volunteers), or every other weekend (Weekend volunteers)
• Successfully complete a comprehensive training program and
certification (solar and/or evening use of telescopes) by the Adler
Telescope Volunteer Supervisor.
• Make a minimum commitment of 1 year