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Bell Observatory Remote Observing Checklist |
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| The Bell Observatory |
OPENING -
Is the weather clear? (Wunderground and Accuweather) -
Open Radmin and connect to ICC -
Open Weatherlink, check the following: o
Humidity lesst that 85% o
Dewpoint at least 2 degrees less than outside temperature o
Winds less than 35 km/h -
Open Vidcams -
Open Radmin and connect to TCC -
Open ACEops -
Turn off bug light, turn on rack light, if needed, turn on fan -
In the file menu go to ‘Observations’ and click ‘Simple’ -
Rotate dome to an azimuth of 0° and open o
Make sure to uncheck “lower dropout shutter” -
Turn on the coolers in MaximDL -
Run Startnite on ICC -
Fill out the setup observing tab in ACE -
Fill out the observing log -
Open mirror covers -
Once camera is cooled take darks and flats FOCUSING
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Go to any blazer at an HA < 3 -
Bring up the Bell AGN webpage and click on your object -
Try to fin a comparison star that is between 10-15 R magnitude -
Take a 20-30 second exposure -
Start the windows information tool in MaximDL (looks like
crosshairs, found in the view menu) -
Click on the comparison star chosen in the third step -
Ideally: o
All stars should be uniform and circular o
The info tool should have read a FWHM between 2-3 -
Adjust the focus and repeat until FWHM is in range -
Record the focus value, comparison star, inside temperature and
exposure time in observing log FOCUSING
WITH FOCUS PADDLE -
Open the focus paddle in ACEobs -
Using the previous night’s log as a guide, adjust the focus o
1 degree ~ 10 focus steps FOCUSING
WITH SOFT PADDLE -
Open the control card in ACEobs -
Click on the second tab and then click the first tab again -
As a guide 26.4C ~ 274000 encoder counts o
1 degree of change is ~ 585 encoder counts OBSERVING -
Make sure object is oriented with webpage image -
Enter the correct XY stage coordinates -
Check to make sure the filter is in R -
If guide star is not in the FOV do a box search to locate o
Enter 150 into the directional box of the XY stage in ACE o
Move to the East and take an image o
Move to the South, West, West, North, North, East taking an image
after each move. o
Expand search if the guide star is still not found -
Make sure the correct gain is entered in the auto guider box -
Start tracking on the guide star in MaximDL and ACEops -
Wait a couple of seconds to make sure the guide star centers up -
Check to see the temperature has not drop at least 1°C since
focusing -
Enter the correct exposure time and number of sets for the object -
If all the images are good go onto the next object and repeat the
steps above CLOSING -
Make sure the telescope is in the stow position -
Close the mirror covers -
Move dome to an azimuth of 0° and close -
Move the filter wheel to STOW R -
Move dome to an azimuth of 290° -
Turn off the fan and racklights -
Turn on the Bug Lamp -
Make sure the FF lamps are turned off -
Turn off the coolers -
Complete observing log -
Make sure RA and Dec Tracking are off -
Exit ACEops and log off TCC -
Exit Vidcams and close connection to ICC (do not log off, make sure
screen saver is set to 4 minutes) -
Email observing log -
Log off Bell |
