Date: Tue, 24 May 2005 04:40:54 -0600 (MDT) From: Jack Dembicky Subject: 3.5m Night Log 20050523 Apache Point Observatory 3.5m Telescope Night Log Monday, May 23, 2005 ACTUAL ASTRONOMER OBSERVER(S) INSTRUMENT START FINISH -------------------------------------------------------------------- J.Wray J.Wray, M.Strauss Echelle --:-- --:-- E.Turner J.Dembicky SPIcam 01:30 03:20 03:45 04:10 INST SCHED(TWILIGHT) WEATH EQUIP OBS DAY NOT USED I/RO/DN START FINISH D B D B D B USE D B ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PU01/R 21:02 01:00 0 4.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PU03/O 01:00 04:58 0 1.8 0 0 0 2.2 0 0 0 note: scheduled times listed include instrument change time ------------- ACTIVITY LOG -------------- Observing Specialist: J.Dembicky Clouds all of first half prevented us from opening. I worked on an experiment in trying to label the DIS slits with a label (just the 1.5 arc sec as a test case). Initial results using a piece of paper with a grid on it looked promising (I could read the numbers on the paper to determine where to put the label). I then tried the label with the backing (white paper) on with the sticky part stuck to the slit (off field) and it looked promising too but I needed to cut the label smaller (print was correct size, sticky label too big on image when positioned). After cutting the label smaller (and getting the position closer to a corner I could no longer read the label (even with the white background). Not sure why, but several different exposures didn't work (bummer). So then I tried the label with out the backing (actually I left part of the backing on the other side in case I needed to remove the label again). Again this didn't work and the label just showed up as black against the shiny mirror surface (I could adjust the contrast in IRAF before to actually read the label earlier, not this time no matter what I tried exposure-wise). So I took the label off and then had to clean the slit surface (since my big fingers put finger prints on it, next time I'll wear latex gloves). Well at least we have a clean(er) slit now. I also checked the image to make sure I left no cotton fibers on the slit itself (none seen). Thicker clouds rolled in around midnight and around 01:15 they started disappating overhead, although it looked like more on the W horizon, so I held off opening for a few minutes to see what was going on and if this was just another sucker hole like at the start of the evening. I opened the enclosure at 01:30 as it appeared that the cloud system was breaking up to the west of us. As soon as I got things focused (excellent seeing of 0.56 arc sec in r') and started on the first target, in came the clouds again! I shot thru the clouds and got data on two objects (they were low priority, but setting quickly and if I got the higher priority targets first I wouldn't have anything to observer in the middle of the night). At 03:20 the clouds once again got too thick (just as I started the 3rd object, and aborted). So I waited... Around 03:45 it looked better in the area where I was pointing so I took an other image. At 04:10 we again had clouds moving over with various holes between them but not large enough to shoot thru. At 04:25 the clouds were not getting any better (thicker instead) and I felt it best to just close for the night. Morning sky flats were pretty much out of the question with these clouds, and more appeared to be headed this direction from the west at this point. Burnt Lens data to CD rom for archive here, SCP'ed to various locations, and e-mailed the Lens list. ------- FAILURE LOG ------- PROG INST FAILURE MODE TIME (SEGDFNVO) TI/SHU START FINISH DESCRIPTION ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- FOCUS LOG --------------- Air/Truss Wind Time Instrument Focus Az El Temp-C Dir MPH filt FWHM --------------------------------------------------------------------- 01:43 SPIcam 50(1795) 56 70 17.4/19.1 186 6 r' 0.56 01:49 NA2gdr -152(28847) 53 71 17.7/19.1 194 5 R 0.7 02:40 SPIcam 75(1913) -78 38 18.4/18.6 263 2 r' 0.91 02:41 NA2gdr 521(29521) -78 38 18.2/18.5 265 7 clear 0.86 03:19 SPIcam 100(1868) -135 52 18.4/18.3 266 4 r' 0.73 ------------- WEATHER LOG ---------------- Wind Precip.or Time Temp F Dewp F MPH Direction Dust Sky Conditions ------------------------------------------------------------------ 16:01 80 22 8 285 (WNW) 607 Cloudy none 17:01 78 19 13 280 (W) 587 Cloudy none 18:01 78 21 17 268 (W) 578 Cloudy none 19:01 73 21 11 264 (W) 572 Cloudy none 20:01 69 23 2 15 (NNE) 1364 Cloudy none 21:01 68 24 7 352 (N) 795 Cloudy none 22:01 67 24 6 15 (NNE) 699 Cloudy none 23:01 67 24 1 349 (NNW) 653 Cloudy none 00:01 66 24 8 284 (WNW) 688 Cloudy none 01:01 64 26 4 238 (WSW) 856 Pt. Cldy none 02:01 65 27 5 177 (S) 1095 Cirrus none 03:01 65 27 2 264 (W) 1004 Cirrus none 04:01 65 25 1 255 (WSW) 748 Mst. Cldy 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 > 1u per 0.1 cubic feet. TELESCOPE STATUS Telescope drives operational. Current Remark version: 2.85b Current TCC version: 2.7.2 Current TUI version: TUI 0.94