OSU/RC Queue Observing UTC 2011 November 18 (civil date 2011 Nov 17/18) =========================================== Observers: K.Z. Stanek, R. Stoll (OSU) Observing Assistant: Steve Allanson Support Astronomer : Dave Thompson Instrumentation : Tim Shih Instrument: MODS Summary: Detailed notes: 23:05 (UT Nov 17): Started Nov18evening.multcal (Yesterday morning I took dual-mode calibrations; now I'll take red-only and blue-only.) Includes: modsWake.pro grpixflats_r.cal grpixflats_b.cal grflats_r.cal grflats_b.cal imflats_r.cal imflats_b.cal grlamps_r.cal grlamps_b.cal stopped it during imflats_b.cal; u-band imaging flats are saturated. This is the imflats_b.cal script from ~MODSeng/modsScripts/Calib/ as of 17 Nov 2011. Still need to run: grlamps_r.cal grlamps_b.cal MOS calibs 00:43 Trying some manual imaging skyflats at zenith untracked. 1s u Looks good, but counts are very low (~900) and guide probe occulting. 8s z (~350) 30s u, 30s z moved the guide probe in the middle of the image. 50s u, 10s i Oh, I was still in blue-only mode. This is why one should not observe with the MODS gui. 00:53 10s g 5k 10s i 10k 00:56 30s g 30s i I do not advise using any of these. (up to mods1b.20111117.0095, r 0123) 00:59 Steve is pointing The image names are still mods1?.20111117.xxxx, despite the fact that it's the 18th UT now. 01:04 acqMODS hd340611.acq (in OSU_PC project) 01:15 no final SlitGo in script, taking a manual confirmatory image 01:16 execMODS hd340611.obs 01:23 execMODS SN2008fz_1as.img (though it's still twilight) 01:30 hit resume on WFS convergance. Seeing around 0.6" 01:45 acqMODS bd28.acq 01:50 sent manual offset, modsAlign.py got the slit position pretty far off. 01:51 execMODS bd28.obs 02:05 acqMODS mods.qso0127.acq 02:18 taking through-mask image 02:21 execMODS mods.qso0127.obs 04:30 starting AZ_J0143 mods.25.J01431, but first changing filename root to the correct date. The next image will be mods1?.20111118.0001 04:38 confirmation through-slit image We're beginning to have a little cirrus. 04:41 execMODS mods.25.J01431.obs 05:55 We've got cirrus, and the guide star is fading in and out. When guiding is lost, the system open-loop tracks, and we can see the guide star is still there at low s/n, so we are continuing the exposure (the final one of four). 05:58 The guider picked it up again briefly, then lost it again. The cloud is getting thicker. 06:03 I paused the exposure; this will accumulate extra cosmic rays 06:04 We have the star back and it was tracking, so unpaused. 06:08 The guide star is quite solidly back. 06:11 execMODS SN2005gj_1as.img Want to start OSU_HII ngc925L in half an hour at 7; other programs too long to fit. Running this again. 06:30 execMODS SN2006gj_1as_offset.img 06:48 acqMODS ngc925L.acq Thus saith Kris. On Rick's request, we are not using the alignment box in the far top right corner. The point source in the lowest box (in the galaxy) gave Moffat fit did not converge error, but the coordinates were on (made sure to zoom in and center cursor very well before hitting a) and we sent the offset with some trepidation. 07:02 through-slit image There are clearly sources in slits at the extreme top, left, and right, and near the bottom of the field, so we're going. Can't see source in bottom three slits. 07:05 execMODS ngc925L.obs spectra look great; I see an emission line even on the lowest slit where I couldn't see the source on the through-slit image. Kind of sparse on targets at this time. 09:20 acqMODS rxj1005p4332.acq 09:23 acquisition failed; no bright star in the first guider image; second showed a bright star, third on pickoff showed nothing. Steve is checking the pointing. 09:27 sending acquisition script again. (pointing was pretty far off) Humidity is high. 09:35 confirmation image 09:37 execMODS rxj1005p4332.obs 10:15 execMODS SN2008es_1as_offset.img On image 2/3, rotator fault. Steve is fixing, and then we'll reset. Images stopped and read out at exptime nearly zero. 10:28 resending the script. Also getting cloud, guide star is popping in and out. 10:44 running it again. 11:02 or so: acqMODS sdss1012.hack.acq 11:07 or so: ** ERROR: Command 'PRESET ACTIVE' timed out after 300 seconds ** Abort, Retry or Ignore? > r (star sent to edge of pickoff, barely made it into guide box, but picked up. On retry, star not in guidecam field at all on first image. Steve is checking pointing. 11:12 resending acqMODS sdss1012.hack.acq Star is on the guide chip, landed right on the hot spot. Pointing has been a bit of a problem tonight. We're getting clouds; the guide star keeps popping in and out. 11:21 through-slit image possibly slightly off-center. Kris recommends continuing. 11:24 execMODS sdss1012.obs 11:53 acqMODS sdss1007.hack.acq very faint target on quadrant boundary; had to align by x instead of centroid. 12:03 confirmatory image 12:05 execMODS sdss1007.obs Spectrum is there, but also some nasty scattered light pattern? We're 8 degrees away from the moon (the queue didn't warn us for this object) We won't mark it as observed; didn't have any better targets for now. Stopped exposure 4 with less than 100 seconds elapsed (see header for precise) 12:45 execMODS TwiflatPos.img (currently over-written, write for one and then mod exptime by hand) 140 s in g and r, counts are about 2000. 12:53 execMODS TwiflatPos0.img 140s in u and i, counts are about 600, 5500 13:00 140s in g and z, counts are about 6000, 5000 running a script each time is maddening with the overhead. There must be a better way. obs script doesn't send preset, but does still require substantial overhead. I've just been imcslocked at this location, don't really need to do it again before the next set. For now, am doing by the command line in the gui. 13:03 in command window in gui, sent: red filter i_sdss blue filter g_sdss offsetxy +10 +10 abs exptime 240 240s in g and i, counts are about 22000, 46000 13:09 exp 100 offsetxy -25 -25 abs dgo counts are about 22000, 43000 13:12 offsetxy -60 -60 abs exptime 40 dgo counts are about 15000, 29000 13:15 offsetxy -60 -60 abs exptime 20 dgo counts are 11000, 20000 13:16 offsetxy -60 -60 abs exptime 10 dgo counts are 8000, 14000 13:18 offsetxy -60 -60 abs red filter r_sdss (blue filter still g_sdss) dgo counts 13000, 12k 13:20 blue filter u_sdss (red filter still r_sdss) offsetxy -60 -60 abs dgo coutns 2k, 12k 13:22 exptime 20 offsetxy -60 -60 abs dgo counts 7k, 65k Had to do a modsCmd red fitsflush, that 12k at 13:20 was bogus 13:25 blue filter g_sdss exp 2 offsetxy -60 -60 abs dgo counts 12k,11k 13:26 offsetxy -60 -60 abs dgo counts 20k, 16k 13:28 offsetxy -60 -60 abs red filter z_sdss blue filter u_sdss exp 10 dgo counts 15k, saturated. 13:31 offsetxy -60 -60 abs blue go counts 27k 13:33 offsetxy -60 -60 abs exp 5 blue go counts 20k 13:35 instrument in calibration mode, closing the dome. 13:44 running Nov18morning.multcal includes, all run in -u mode: grlamps_r.cal grlamps_b.cal prmosflatsOSU_PC.cal prmoslampsOSU_PC.cal /home/MODSeng/modsScripts/Support/modsSleep.pro The mos scripts were modified for Paul's mask ID and the 8Kx3K roi he uses. I recommend future MOS program users write and include their own modified calibration scripts to ensure observers creating them on the fly don't mess them up. (script is still running when I send the logs)