Subject: 3.5m Night Log 20250530 From: mcroom@apo.nmsu.edu Date: Sat, 31 May 2025 11:04:34 +0000 (UTC) Apache Point Observatory 3.5m Telescope Night Log Friday, May 30, 2025 PROG PI ASTRONOMER OBSERVER(S) -------------------------------------------------------------------- NM06 T.McQuaid T.McQuaid,A.Abbas WY02 C.Kobulnicky N.Patten ON-SKY PROG INSTRUMENT START FINISH -------------------------------------------------------------------- NM06 ECHELLE 21:26 21:50 NM06 ECHELLE 22:40 00:35 WY02 KOSMOS --:-- --:-- PROG SCHEDULED WEATH EQUIP OBS NOT USED I/ROW/DTN START FINISH D B D B D B D B ----------------------------------------------------------------- NM06/R 20:14 01:10 0.6 2.0 0 0 0.4 1.9 0 0 WY02/R 01:10 05:47 4.6 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0 0 note: scheduled times listed include instrument change time ------------- ACTIVITY LOG -------------- Observing Specialist: M.Croom Remote support from Russet. Radar and dust delayed our opening. However, we closed shortly after we opened when dust exceeded 4000 counts. While we were open the first time (from 21:26 to 21:50), the echelle was focused and NM06 was able to get one target. We re-opened at 22:40, but closed at 00:35 due to humidity which persisted throughout the rest of the night. NM06 used the remainder of their time to do echelle cals. (I added lines in the on-sky section and aggregated the times in the next block, but am providing some details if that is not correct). B Half WY02 never got on sky. An email alert that DIS Red ion pump is not responding occurred at 20:04. The rack-mounted display showed pressures well below limits, so maybe it was a communication issue. I couldn't find that specific alert in the wiki so I did a hub startNubs dis and a dis status; whether that helped or not, the error did not recur. The 1-micron dust levels were always near the limits (4000 for low RH, 3000 for high RH). When the humidity rose above 70% the 1-micron dust counter is disabled. Dust levels were monitored with the handheld unit both at the ground and at the dome floor levels, and were appreciably lower (1400 per tenth cubic foot) than the last values reported by the mounted sensor. The WY02 observer needed to be on sky by 04:00 to get minimal science, and we gave up at that time as the humidity was too high and the handheld showed 1-micron particles at 4300 per tenth ft3. The humidity dropped as dawn approached, but when the mounted sensors started displaying counts again, we were still over the high humidity operating dust limit. Pollen counts were measured during the night and are in the e-log. I forgot to note in last night's log that one pollen count was made (11/hour/area). Subsequent attempts last night were not possible since the plates were wet in the high humidity. Tonight, two measurements were made (16 and 52/hr) before the humidity was too high. Other than the DIS alert, no other telescope or instrument problems tonight. ------- FAILURE LOG ------- FAILURE MODE TIME PROG INSTR TI/SHU START FINISH DESCRIPTION ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- FOCUS LOG --------------- Time Instrument Focus Az El Temp Strc Prim Sec Air filt FWHM -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21:31 ecamera 315( 427) -111 65 14.4 17.3 18.0 17.3 16.1 Clear 1.41 23:21 ecamera 217( 208) -142 59 13.3 14.7 15.6 14.6 13.8 Clear 1.51 ------------- WEATHER LOG ---------------- Wind Precip.or Time Temp F Dewp F MPH Direction Dust Sky Conditions ------------------------------------------------------------------ 16:00 67 40 11 256 (WSW) 4049 mstly cldy dust 17:00 71 36 7 224 (SW) 3528 mstly cldy dust 18:00 63 39 7 129 (SE) 2561 mstly cldy none 19:00 64 41 8 233 (SW) 4741 mstly cldy dust 20:00 61 40 7 186 (S) 4630 mstly cldy dust 21:00 59 37 11 150 (SSE) 2957 mstly cldy none 22:00 59 42 11 182 (S) 3859 ptly cldy dust 23:00 56 44 9 177 (S) 2798 mstly clr none 00:00 55 50 10 181 (S) ptly cldy humid 01:00 53 49 11 163 (SSE) mstly clr humid 02:00 53 49 7 131 (SE) mstly clr humid 03:00 53 50 7 132 (SE) mstly clr humid 04:00 55 33 2 147 (SSE) mstly clr humid 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 SOFTWARE ---------- Current TCC version: 1.4.2 Current HUB version: v20171231_01 Current TUI version: 3.1.8