BE OUR GUEST...
Housing and Transportation
Housing reservations
must be used to overnight at APO.
Please read and complete the reservation
form
in its entirety. Each individual must submit a request. Our database
is unable to accept group reservations. You will receive confirmation
for your reservation through e-mail or voice contact. Reservations
are handled by the housing coordinator.
Complete dormitory
information is available.
- Shuttle Services
- Information regarding the shuttle service between El Paso International Airport and Alamogordo,
NM can be found by calling Alamo-El Paso Shuttle at (800) 872-2701. Taxi service is provided from Alamogordo to APO by Dollar Cab, call (575) 434-8881 for information or to arrange service.
- Cafe Lunch
- The Corona Cafe, a small employee-kitchen at the
National Solar Observatory, is available to APO users and visitors for lunch
only during weekdays, 11:30am - -12:30pm. Contact NSO at (575) 434-7000.
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- Groups and Meetings
- Our facilities can support meetings or groups from
2 - 25 people. If you would like to make arrangements, please contact APO Program Manager
with your request. You will receive written or verbal confirmation.
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- Customs Border Patrol Check Stations
- The Customs Border Patrol operates check stations
in the general region of APO. If you are not a citizen of the United States,
please carry your passport for identification.
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- Map and Directions to APO
- Simple
maps to APO from surrounding areas, includes
El Paso, TX, Alamogordo, NM, and Las Cruces, NM.
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- Parking
- Long term visitors (over 2 days) are requested
to park their vehicles in the lower parking lot.
-
- Site Vehicles
- ARC vehicles are available for use by visitors.
Please contact the Site
Operations Manager to make arrangements.
Access to dormitories and other buildings without staff
support is available. Contact the Site
Operations Manager to make arrangements.
Food Services
You must provide your own food.
Supermarkets are available in surrounding areas.
There are limited restaurants in
Cloudcroft, 35 miles roundtrip. Kitchens are available on site for your use.
The Corona Cafe, located at the National
Solar Observatory (NSO), Sacramento Peak,
offers a limited weekday schedule for lunch only (served 11:30 a.m. - 12:30
p.m.). Please call NSO at (575) 434-7000 for information.
Answering/Using the Phone
The Operations
building's doorbell rings on the phone system. It must be answered to discontinue
the ring.
Incoming calls are announced by a double ring at all
extensions and automatically answered when the receiver is picked up.
Intercom calls are announced with a single ring.
Phones in the dormitory are set on "Do Not Disturb."
Do Not Disturb
While receiver is in cradle:
- activate by pressing "Do Not Disturb" (will
not hear incoming or intercom calls);
- deactivate by pressing
"Do Not Disturb" (to hear all calls)
Paging or Forwarding a Call
A site-wide extension listing is located
below the 3-Com logo. Press the Up/Down arrows to scroll the site directory.
Press the
three
digit number to directly dial an extension. Press "All Site Page" to
page a call to your extension. Make sure to advise the called party
which line to pick up (flashing light).
Outgoing Calls
For local calls (prefixes 437, 434, 682,
479, or 585), dial 8 + the number.
For long distance:
- within New Mexico, dial 8 + 1 + 575 +
number
- outside New Mexico, dial 8 + 1 + area code
+ number
Long distance access codes are not
required.
Medical emergencies MUST be handled through 911.
Minor injuries can be treated on site.
First aid cabinets are located in the Operations building's
service
area, Dormitory
4-9, and Support
building.
Emergency eyewash stands are located on the
ground floor of the 3.5-m
enclosure, 3.5m Work Area in the Operations building, and Garage/Shop
building. Additional
safety
and emergency
information is available.
Entertainment System
The system includes:
- receiver
- dual cassette tape deck
- CD player
- satellite receiver
- television set
- two VHS VCRs
Only the VCRs can be removed for use in other locations.
Operating manuals are available online. APO subscribes to DishNetwork.
Please contact APO staff for instructions on how to use entertainment system.
Grounds
Onsite summer thunderstorms produce close
lightning strikes. Tall structures do not provide protection. During
strong thunderstorm activity, remain inside.
The relief valve on the propane tank
located between the Operations building and the Garage/Shop building
occasionally bypasses a small amount of gas which may be detectable.
If gas is detectable in any other area, immediately notify APO staff
or contact Sunspot Fire
Department by calling 911.
Wild animals and domestic cattle are
often on the grounds. While generally not aggressive, if startled
they may turn to defend themselves. Be especially wary of bears with
cubs.
Operations Support Staff
Regular staff members are augmented by
visiting engineers and astronomers. APO staff provide site support
for:
- overall site operations, project coordination, or
site activities; contact Mark Klaene, Site
Operations Manager
- overall project requirements, equipment use, safety,
or physical plant ; contact Mark Klaene, Site
Operations Manager; Ben Harris provides
APO infrastructure support and acts as Safety Officer
- site-wide computer access, hardware or software requirements,
MC operation, and phone equipment, systems and network computers; contact
Fritz Stauffer, Computer
Systems Manager or Jon Brinkmann, Network Support Engineer
- 3.5-m telescope systems and engineering; contact
Bill Ketzeback, Chief
Telescope Technologist
- 3.5-m electronics systems; contact Ed Leon, 3.5-m
Electronics Technicians
- 3.5-m night observing runs; contact Russet McMillan,
Jack Dembicky, Alaina Bradley,
Observing Specialists
- 2.5 Telescope engineering; contact Dan Long,
Chief Telescope Engineer
- Olena and Viktor Malanushenko,
Kaike Pan, Dmitry Bizyaev, Audrey and Daniel Oravetz, Patrick Gaulme, or Gordon Freischlad
for SDSS observing runs
- SDSS telescope systems
and engineering; contact Dan Long, James Parker, or Ron Long, SDSS
Engineers.
- Diana Holder, Frances Cope, Muwen Shi,
Tracy Naugle or James Parker for SDSS
technical support
- Deanna Naugle for SDSS administrative
support
- APO site housing, inventory, and housekeeping; contact
Beth Mitchell, Program Manager
- APO web archive server, statistical data assistance,
resource locations, purchasing, WWW documentation, or logistics; contact Beth Mitchell, Program Manager.
Shipping and Receiving
U.S. mail leaves APO Monday - Friday at
approximately 10:30 a.m. Mail is collected at the mailboxes in the
supply
area under "Outgoing Mail."
For packages less than 150#, Federal
Express or UPS can be used to ship within a 24-hour period. Not all
express services deliver to APO on a "next-day" guarantee. Packages
over 150# require special handling. Contact APO staff to make special
shipping arrangements or check next-day delivery shippers.
Normally, we accept delivery on weekdays
only (8:30am - 4:00pm) at the loading dock adjacent to the
Operations
building. No COD's without prior arrangements with APO
staff.
For inbound shipments, please notify APO
staff when shipment leaves point of origin and have freight company
call APO 24-hours in advance of delivery. Items 46" inches or wider
cannot fit through the operations building doors. If the item cannot
fit through the doors, weather protection must be provided. We have
manual pallet jacks, hydraulic dock lift, and a fork
lift.
If the shipment is personal, shipping
documents have an area to include personal billing
information.
Snow Removal
The observatory drive and parking areas are plowed by
APO after the snow event stops. During snow events, please park all cars
in the lower parking lot.
Observatory walkways are cleared by APO
staff and visitors during daylight hours of operation. Watch for ice on walkways
and in parking areas.
Visibility on the observatory drive can be
reduced due to plowed snow on the shoulders. Snow and ice accummulate
on the road surface, making the drive hazardous. Drive slowly and
with caution
Surrounding Area
- Cloudcroft is located 17 miles from APO, two miles south of the start of Hw,. 6563 which leads to Sunspot/APO. There are restaurants, covenience stores, a park, a business district, lodging and accomodations in Cloudcroft.
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- Ski
Cloudcroft offers
skiing at all levels and is located only 2 miles east of Cloudcroft on Hwy. 82 (ski conditions vary, call (575) 682-2333 for information).
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- Timberon Timberon is located 14 miles south of APO. It is a private community,
with a small store/gas station, landing strip, fire station,
fishing pond, cafe, and club/pool. Contact APO staff for more
information.
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- Alamogordo is located 45 miles west of APO on Hwy. 54/70, and
offers major facilities: Gerald Champion
Regional Hospital, mall, library, Space Museum, Clyde Tombaugh Planetarium,
zoo, supermarkets, and New Mexico State University branch campus. White
Sands National Monument is located approximately 10 miles west of Alamogordo.
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- Ruidoso is located approximately 75 miles north of APO on
Hwy. 70, and offers many restaurants, shops, and diversions. The Inn of
the Mountain Gods, as well as Ski Apache, are located in Ruidoso.