Subject: 3.5m Night Log 20130107 From: dembicky@apo.nmsu.edu Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2013 12:58:05 +0000 (UTC) Apache Point Observatory 3.5m Telescope Night Log Monday, January 07, 2013 ACTUAL ASTRONOMER OBSERVER(S) INSTRUMENT START FINISH -------------------------------------------------------------------- L.Hebb L.Hebb SPIcam 21:40 23:20 J.Hughes J.Hughes SPIcam --:-- --:-- INST SCHEDULED WEATH EQUIP OBS NOT USED I/ROW/DN START FINISH D B D B D B D B ---------------------------------------------------------------- UW01/R 17:22 00:40 5.6 0 0 0 1.7 0 0 0 UW10/R 00:40 06:58 3.0 3.3 0 0 0 0 0 0 note: scheduled times listed include instrument change time ------------- ACTIVITY LOG -------------- Observing Specialist: J.Dembicky We managed to open for about 1:40 mins between systems during the first half. I closed as I saw radar returns coming towards us as well as the next system of clouds. We had some flurries shortly after closing but nothing stuck to the ground. The gcamera died around 06:03 UT. Restarted it and this seemed to fix the problem. Error in TUI: 06:03:41 APO.Jack-Obs1.gcam 34650 gcamera f text="local variable 'd' referenced before assignment" We had a partial clearing around 02:00 (again a small swath of clearing between two systems) but difficult to tell how fast the next system was moving so I opted to wait, since the last one had some flurries in it, and this didn't look that large. The "clearing" only lasted a little over 30 mins and then clouds again started to appear. So I waited some more. Radar returns started popping up around 03:45, to our S/SE around the TX/NM border and appeared to move towards us. I opted to keep stay closed to be on the safe side. Sky was dicey with clouds anyhow. We finally had somewhat of another clearing around 04:50 but radar returns still just to our S/SE. After waiting for a good long while (with radar echos still showing but nothing appearing overhead) I called the observer (05:25) to see if they could use the remaining time, as the clouds seemed to now have been staying at bay. I was still seeing radar returns around us in the southern part of the county trying to move this way, and the mountains interfering with HAFB radar didn't help much either). She said that there was not enough time left for her to get anything really useful with less than 1 hr so we gave up. A very very frustrating night weather-wise with this unorganized weather pattern and trying to decide what to do! ------- FAILURE LOG ------- PROG INST FAILURE MODE TIME (SEDFNVOG) TI/SHU START FINISH DESCRIPTION ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- FOCUS LOG --------------- Time Instrument Focus Az El Temp Strc Prim Sec Air filt FWHM -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21:45 SPICAM 498( -16) 79 45 -1.7 0.2 0.8 0.5 -1.3 SDSS r 1.80 21:46 NA2gdr -2(29997) 79 45 -1.7 0.0 0.8 0.5 -1.3 R 2.20 ------------- WEATHER LOG ---------------- Wind Precip.or Time Temp F Dewp F MPH Direction Dust Sky Conditions ------------------------------------------------------------------ 16:00 38 24 6 228 (SW) 139 ptly cldy none 17:00 35 12 9 134 (SE) 103 mstly cldy none 18:00 32 16 9 71 (ENE) 122 cloudy none 19:00 33 15 5 96 (E) 115 cloudy none 20:00 31 21 13 80 (E) 136 cloudy none 21:00 30 19 15 79 (E) 133 ptly cldy none 22:00 30 19 12 85 (E) 153 ptly cldy none 23:00 31 14 11 82 (E) 151 mstly cldy lt snow 00:00 29 18 13 185 (S) 130 cloudy none 01:00 33 12 11 86 (E) 150 cloudy none 02:00 33 10 16 76 (ENE) 121 ptly cldy none 03:00 33 7 13 83 (E) 105 mstly cldy none 04:00 33 4 9 124 (SE) 80 mstly cldy none 05:00 31 11 12 85 (E) 122 ptly 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 TCC version: 2.15.0 Current TUI version: 2.0.0