From: "Noel Camron Hastings" Subject: 3.5-m Night Log 2000.04.29 Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2000 05:51:10 -0700 ******************************************************************* * APACHE POINT OBSERVATORY * * 3.5-m Telescope Observing Log * * Saturday, April 29, 2000 * ******************************************************************* ACTUAL ASTRONOMER OBSERVER(S) INSTRUMENT DATE START FINISH -------------------------------------------------------------------- Seibert Seibert, G.Meurer SPIcam 4/29-30 01:20 05:55 INST SCHEDULED WEATH EQUIP OBS DAY NOTUSED I/RS/DN START FINISH D B D B D B USE D B -------------------------------------------------------------------- JH03/R 20:41 05:19 3.9 0 0 0 3.8 0.9 0 0 0 (note: times listed include instrument change time) ------------- ACTIVITY LOG -------------- 1st Half Observing Specialist: McMillan The telescope was not opened during first half due to high winds and dust. 2nd Half Observing Specialist: Hastings We opened at 01:10 MDT with high dust levels, but barely below closure limits. Dust hovered around 3k. All performed well. No troubles, smooth sailing... At approximately 02:30 MDT the NA2 guider starting showing serious degradation of the seeing, and oddly DIMM started showing slight improvement of the seeing. They were exactly opposite one another. I noticed that the exact time the seeing started to degrade was exactly when I turned the INTEX and TELEX fans off for dust reasons. As a test, I turned them back on again at 02:46 MDT. The whole time the PRESSURIZATION fans were running. As soon as the INTEX and TELEX came on line the seeing measurements began to drop. The correlation was the most noticeable I have seen. ****** OBSERVER COMMENTS ****** ----------------- FOCUS LOG ----------------- Wind Time Instrument Focus Az El #Temp Dir MPH filt FWHM " --------------------------------------------------------------------- 01:20 SPIcam -050(308) 183 83 7.1/8.3 285 12 r' 1.56" 01:30 Guider -4000 205 82 6.9/8.1 287 21 none 1.60" #First temp is air, second temp is telescope. ------------- WEATHER CONDITIONS ------------ Wind Precip. or Time Temp F Dewp F MPH Direction Dust Sky Conditions -------------------------------------------------------------------- 17:01 65 20 20 256 (WSW) 2136 clear none 18:01 62 16 21 252 (WSW) 2484 clear none 19:01 58 14 19 241 (WSW) 5283 clear dust 20:01 55 9 22 263 (W) 4711 clear dust 21:01 53 8 17 285 (WNW) 5528 clear dust 22:01 50 7 12 262 (W) 7952 clear dust 23:01 49 5 13 270 (W) 7608 clear dust 00:01 47 2 20 290 (WNW) 4004 clear none 01:01 46 0 17 293 (WNW) 3010 clear none 02:01 44 -1 18 302 (WNW) 2776 clear none 03:01 42 -1 10 321 (NW) 3108 clear none 04:01 42 1 9 322 (NW) 3053 clear none 05:01 41 4 6 342 (NNW) 3243 clear none note: the wind was coming from the azimuth listed. The convention used is north=0 degrees, east=90 degrees. The dust count is particles > 1 micron per 0.1 cu. ft. TELESCOPE STATUS Primary, secondary, and tertiary mirrors in place and collimated. Primary support system operational. Mirror ventilation system in place. Telescope drives operational. Current Remark version: 2.55b5. Current guide software version: GIm Ctrlv3.0b27. Current TCC version is 2.2.5. - Russet McMillan, Camron Hastings