Subject: 3.5m Night Log 20181028
From: cgray@apo.nmsu.edu
Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2018 12:50:51 +0000 (UTC)
                      Apache Point Observatory
                      3.5m Telescope Night Log
                      Sunday, October 28, 2018
                                                           ACTUAL
 ASTRONOMER      OBSERVER(S)            INSTRUMENT     START  FINISH
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Y.Zhu             D.Ren, X.Zhang        PAO            18:24   06:47
   INST       SCHEDULED     WEATH     EQUIP      OBS     NOT USED
 I/ROW/DN   START  FINISH   D    B    D    B    D    B    D    B
 ----------------------------------------------------------------
NI01/O     18:24   07:10    0    0    0    0   3.3  9.4   0    0
note: scheduled times listed include instrument change time
              ------------- ACTIVITY LOG --------------
Observing Specialist: C.Gray
There will be no foolish mounting or silly counter-rotations in this dome. As such, Russet does not expect many of us to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is a visiting instrument. However, for those select few who possess the pre-assigned shift, she can teach us how to bewitch the night and ensnare the photons. She can tell us how to bottle fear, brew coffee, and even put a stopper in the light path.  Then again, there are some of us that have come to APO in possession of abilities so formidable that we feel confident enough to not pay attention. However, Russet will remind us that it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your friends, but a great deal more to stand up to your visitors.
The PAO is here on a clear, subarcsecond night and I see that they, like many before them, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of the 3.5m. I trust by now they realize what they can do. The clearest star in the sky would look into the PAO and see itself, exactly as it is. The PAO shows us nothing more or less than the deepest and most desperate desires for a calm sky.  But remember this, the 3.5m mirror gives us neither clear sky or good seeing, and thin clouds rolled in near midnight and were here to stay.
There will come a time when the PAO must be told something.  But I must wait until the team is at their most fatigued. On the night the PAO went to the NA2 to collect photons, and the lenslets cast itself between them, the light rebounded. When that happened, a part of the sky latched its onto the only recording thing it could find.  The imager itself. But there's a reason the stars are fluttering in the sky. That's a reason they are becoming fainter. The light of the dawn is coming inside the dome.
So, when the time comes, the dome must close. Yes, yes it must close. We've kept things open so that we can close at the proper moment. We've been tracking the sky up and our sleep has been slaughtered. Though don't tell me now that I've grown to care for such nights.
Close...after all this time?
Always.
I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.  Even so, no problems tonight.
                    ------- 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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 18:46 pao   135( -876) 123  59  10.9 11.5 11.3 11.2 10.1   --  1.21
 21:33 pao   110( -977)   9  61   9.9 10.1 10.6  9.4  9.4   --  0.80
               ------------- WEATHER LOG ----------------
                                   Wind                      Precip.or
     Time   Temp F Dewp F  MPH  Direction    Dust    Sky    Conditions
    ------------------------------------------------------------------
     16:00    57    34      5   343  (NNW)     82    clear     none
     17:00    55    31      8   308   (NW)     82    clear     none
     18:00    52    27      3   347  (NNW)     84    clear     none
     19:00    52     8      6   347  (NNW)      7    clear     none
     20:00    52    13      3   350    (N)      0    clear     none
     21:00    53     9      6   352    (N)      3 mstly clr    none
     22:00    51    12      3   337  (NNW)      5 mstly clr    none
     23:00    51    19      6   293  (WNW)      0 mstly clr    none
     00:00    50    21      3   280    (W)      1 mstly clr    none
     01:00    47    29      2   340  (NNW)      1 mstly clr    none
     02:00    51    26      1   350    (N)      2 mstly clr    none
     03:00    51    23      5   273    (W)      0  ptly cldy   none
     04:00    50    26      5   288  (WNW)      3  ptly cldy   none
     05:00    47    33      3   214   (SW)      4 mstly clr    none
     06:00    48    25      3   191    (S)      1 mstly clr    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: 1.2.4
    Current TUI version: 2.6.0