On the night of July 20/21, 2022, students from RIT's Multimessenger Astrophysics REU program came to visit the Observatory. They had previously made a trip to Green Bank, West Virginia, in order to see radio telescopes at the Green Bank Observatory. This time, they came to the RIT Observatory to learn a bit about optical telescopes.
When the students arrived, we discussed how the different types of optical telescopes work -- they examined some examples of refractors and reflectors. We went outside to use the 12-inch telescope in the dome, and had just managed to focus it and point at M57 when a bank of clouds arrived from the northwest. Alas, we couldn't see anything through the clouds, and they didn't clear up for hours.
So, we went back inside and had a Q&A session, where we discussed the various types of astronomy and how one might prepare for a career in research or in teaching. They asked a lot of good questions!