The objects that we are observing with the RXTE satellite can only be seen easily from the sourthern hemisphere. The northern part of Chile was chosen for a number of reasons. I would like to tell you about a typical day and night at the observatory. There are typically six to ten astronomers on the mountain at any time. I know that today all twelve rooms were filled.
Astronomers stay on the mountain for the length of time they are using a telescope.
This can be as short as two nights or as long as two weeks. These are the support people whose jobs are to keep everything working. Unlike the astronomers, who are usually from the United States, the support staff are almost all citizens of Chile and most live in La Serena. They stay on the mountain for a week, go home for a week, return to the mountain for week, and so on. While working at the observatory, they stay in houses and dormitories on the mountain.