Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2000 05:37:32 -0600 From: "s. a. snedden" Subject: 2.5m obslog 20000626 (MJD 51722) Monday, June 26, 2000 Apache Point Observatory SDSS 2.5m Observing Log (MJD 51722) OBSERVING TEAM: =============== Stephanie Snedden (APO) Bryan Laubscher (LANL) Jeffrey Hayes (APO) Bing Chen (JHU) PT VISITORS: ========= Douglas Finkbeinder (UC) David Hogg (IAS) David Schlegel (PU) THE PLAN: ========= Spectroscopy in the form of a focal plane mapping, if the weather cooperates. If conditions are not pristine enough for focal plane mapping, then spectroscopy of a science plate. SYNOPSIS FOR NIGHT: =================== High humidity, clouds and thunderstorms kept us from opening. TELESCOPE STATUS: ================= Stowed at 30 deg alt with no instrument on. Pressboard cover on the back. Counterweights fully down. INTERLOCKS: =========== None bypassed SOFTWARE USED: ============== IOP/SOP: v3_17_0 Watcher: v2_8_2 MCP: v4_3_1 TPM: v1_2_0 AstroDa: 14_30 TCC: 2.3.1 WEATHER SYNOPSIS (see below for hourly data): ============================================= Cloudy in the afternoon. Cloudy and humid all night. Some lightning in the west. GENERAL COMMENTS (see Problems below for details): ================================================== Before Dark: Talked to C Loomis and found out that the spectro Xyplex from last night was dead and has been replaced. Craig did tests on it and found that the new server is working okay. Talked to F Leger and discovered that the Hartmann screen is to be taken out of the telescope (and the conical baffle replaced one assumes?), indicating that the Hartmann data obtained last night is acceptable (although no message to that effect has been seen by all the Observers as of 22:00). The decision made was to do a focal plane mapping with one of the FASTT fields if the weather permits. We decided to use Cart 7 / plate 182, so we could be on the sky just after twilight. I was given the telescope at 19:30, but could not put the corrector/cartridge on due to the high humidity/rain starting to come out of the E. Note that none of the checkout could be done previously as French et al. had the telescope (they were installing the temperature sensors on the primary and will finish up tomorrow). After dark: At 20:30 we obtained messages that the humidity was still too high and that there was lightning activity within 8 miles. French called to ask us to check that the AC was keeping the humidity down in the enclosure. To that end we borrowed the sling psychrometer from the 3.5-m control room, and as long as we cannot open, will monitor humidity at the enclosure. Also, since the AC is set to shut off at 23:00, we put it in manual mode so that it would continue to control the enclosure humidity. Humidity measurements: Time Outside Enclosure Inside at telescope Lower enclosure dry(C)-wet(C) => RH dry(C)-wet(C) => RH dry(C)-wet(C) => RH ---- ----------------- ------------------- --------------- 22:00 13.5-12.5 =>89% 17.5-14.5 =>73%(?) 22.0-15.5 =>50% 23:00 13.8-12.5 =>87% 20.0-15.0 =>59% 22.0-15.5 =>50% 00:00 - 03:30 Lightning...did not go to enclosure 03:45 13.3-12.0 =>86% 20.0-14.5 =>55% 23.0-15.8 =>48% 05:00 12.8-11.5 =>91% 20.0-14.5 =>55% 22.7-15.5 =>49% From this data, it looks like the HVAC is keeping the humidity down in the enclosure. The first value we took inside at the telescope may be too high. Other than that, we waited in vain for the weather to clear. Steph worked on a Hartmann testing procedures document based on JEG's and Russell's emails. DATA ACQUISITION (see IOP/SOP output below): ============================================ IMAGING: -------- Run Type --- ---- None SPECTROSCOPY: ------------- Exposure Type -------- ---- 4671 bias - afternoon checkout 4672 bias - afternoon checkout MIRRORS: ======== PRIMARY: -------- MIGS Axial A= 1.9284 Axial B= 0.5594 Axial C= 0.5579 Transverse D= 0.3744 Lateral E= 1.9065 Lateral F= 0.4074 GALILS Commanded: Actual: SETMIR VALUES primDesOrient: primOrient: SECONDARY: ---------- Focus: Temp: Altitude: MIGS Axial A= Axial B= Axial C= Transverse D= GALILS Commanded: Actual: SETMIR VALUES secDesOrient: secOrient: FOCUS LOG: ========== M1 Piston M2 Piston Temp Wind Time Inst setmir TCC setmir Az Alt C Dir MPH filt FWHM " LN2 SCHEDULE: ============= Spectro dewars topped off at 22:00 and 05:00. Imager dewar not replaced. PROBLEMS: ========= The weather. WEATHER DATA: ============= Partly cloudy for most of the afternoon, and clouds increased by 19:00. By 19:30, the humdity was above closure limits, and wind gusting to 25 mph. It stayed cloudy and humid for the duration of the night. Lightning stayed to our west the entire night. Wind Time Temp F Dewp F MPH Direction Dust DIMM Sky Precip. 16:01 60 51 15 58 (ENE) 1501 - mcl none 17:01 62 52 14 78 (ENE) 1484 - mcl none 18:01 58 52 13 79 (ENE) 1616 - mcl none 19:01 56 52 18 79 (ENE) 1807 - mcl none 20:01 55 51 14 76 (ENE) 2093 - mcl none 21:01 55 52 16 77 (ENE) 2128 - mcl none 22:01 55 52 14 84 (E) 1998 - mcl trace 23:01 56 51 8 81 (E) 2035 - mcl none 00:01 52 52 9 9 (N) 167 - tcl trace 01:01 55 50 11 130 (SE) 2116 - tcl none 02:01 54 51 6 102 (ESE) 2420 - tcl none 03:01 54 51 1 202 (SSW) 2239 - tcl none 04:01 53 51 0 247 (WSW) 1260 - tcl none 05:01 53 51 4 86 (E) 1996 - tcl trace [pmt]cl = partly, mostly, totally cloudy