LBT OSU/RC Observing Notes Date: 2016 Jan 04 (UT) Observers: Jake Turner (at Tucson Remote Facility), Rick Pogge (in transit to LBT today, not in control room) Support: Olga Kuhn (On call; in remote room for a few hours) TelOps: David Gonzalez Summary: Sky is partly cloudy at sunset (lots of clouds). Weather forecast predicts heavy clouds and 10% of snow after 11pm. Observed OSU_M31merger/M31merger in light cirrus at 0.9" seeing. Observed OSU_monitor/N628 in light to heavy clouds with 1-1.2" seeing. Observed OSU_monitor/N672 twice in light to heavy clouds. The first set of 6 the stars were elongated due to quick changing conditions after focusing. We only got 5 images on the last sequence due to LBC inadvertently restarting itself. We switched to LUCI because there were no targets for MODS or LBC. When we were switching to LUCI, we encountered the dreaded TCS anomaly. AT UT 05:19, we have at least 6 magnitudes of excitation and the clouds are too thick to observe anything. We did not observe due to weather until UT 05:44. When the clouds were lighter, we moved to LBC. At UT 06:04, we observed UM_CEW_252P/NS1_252P-LINEAR with LBC red in light clouds (1 - 1.2"). We are able to see the comet move in the stacked images! AT UT 07:46, we moved to MODS. During the obs of the calibration star, the secondary mirror went into a failure mode (shell error) that last 10 minutes. Observed a calbiration target but had to close due to high winds at UT 08:44. Night ended at UT 08:44 due to high winds, increasing clouds, and potential for snow. The end of the night was called at UT 10:11. Completed science targets: OSU_M31merger/M31merger OSU_monitor/N628 OSU_monitor/N672 UM_CEW_252P/NS1_252P-LINEAR Calibration Targets: gd71 _____________________________________________________________ UT 0:27 Starting night with LBC. Setup. LBC blue is not fixed, so we are only using LBC red. UT 0:31 Sunset UT 01:11 Moving to OSU_M31merger/M31merger (sky brightness is 17.7) UT 01:18 Focus OSU_M31merger/M31merger (Lots of cirrus, 1" seeing) UT 01:26 Obs OSU_M31merger/M31merger (Lots of cirrus and a few heavy clouds on the horizon, 0.8" seeing) (9x60; 10 mins) UT 01:43 Obs again OSU_M31merger/M31merger (Lots of cirrus and a few heavy clouds on the horizon, 0.9" seeing) (9x60; 10 mins) (Sky brightness is 21.54) We are observing again since it is really hard to find the target of interest and the sky was brighter. UT 01:58 Astronomical Twilight UT 01:58 Focus OSU_monitor/N628 popup box: "command rejected since another is running!" David had to kill and restart LBC software. We then initialized LBC. UT 02:18 Focus again OSU_monitor/N628 UT 02:25 Obs OSU_monitor/N628 (Light to heavy cirrus, 1-1.2" seeing) (6x300secs ; 30 mins) UT 03:00 Focus OSU_monitor/N672 (heavy clouds on the horizon) UT 03:06 Obs OSU_monitor/N672 (Light to heavy cirrus, heavy clouds on the horizon, 1-1.2" seeing) (6x300secs ; 30 mins) -The stars in the last few images are elongated due to changing conditions. UT 03:48 Running Obs OSU_monitor/N672 again -The stars were elongated in the last sequence due to changing conditions ( lots of clouds and cirrus) (Light to heavy cirrus, heavy clouds on the horizon, 0.9-1.2" seeing) (6x300secs ; 30 mins) LBC restarted on the last image so only got five images on the last sequence. ------------------ UT 04:26 Switch to LUCI2. There are no LBC or MODS targets up right now. UT 04:43 We are having the TCS anomaly. UT 05:03 Back online but LUCI now has several problems. Heavy clouds UT 05:09 David collimating LUCI -Mostly overcast and more clouds moving in - Using a 6th magnitude star for collimation UT 05:19 Heavy clouds. We have at least six magnitudes of extinction Not observing due to weather ------------------ UT 05:44 Clouds are a little less thick. UT 05:44 Moving to LBC UT 06:04 Focus for UM_CEW_252P/NS1_252P-LINEAR Running RA06h34m_DEC-10d29m.ob UT 06:13 Obs UM_CEW_252P/NS1_252P-LINEAR (non-sidereal tracking) (Clear in our direction at, 1- 1.2" seeing) Cycle through NS1*, NS2*, NS3* OBs twice PAUSING 5 minutes between each OB so we can get a reasonable arclet UT 06:13 OB NS1 (UM_CEW_252P/NS1_252P-LINEAR) (clear not much clouds, 1") UT 06:27 OB NS2 (UM_CEW_252P/NS1_252P-LINEAR) (Clouds moving through. 1.2") UT 06:41 OB NS3 (UM_CEW_252P/NS1_252P-LINEAR) (Clouds moving through.1.1") We can see the comet move in the stacked images! UT 06:50 Focus for UM_CEW_252P/NS1_252P-LINEAR Running RA06h34m_DEC-10d29m.ob UT 06:54 OB NS1 (UM_CEW_252P/NS1_252P-LINEAR) First 4 images were done in sideral mode UT 06:59 OB NS1 (UM_CEW_252P/NS1_252P-LINEAR) Now, in non-sideral mode (A few clouds) The stop button on LBC control didn't actually stop the OB, it paused it. When we restarted it started on image 5. UT 07:00 OB NS1 again (UM_CEW_252P/NS1_252P-LINEAR) Re-running the script to preserve the same observe procedure. Light clouds UT 07:22 OB NS2 (UM_CEW_252P/NS1_252P-LINEAR) (Light clouds, 1" seeing) UT 07:37 OB NS3 (UM_CEW_252P/NS1_252P-LINEAR) (Light clouds) ------------ UT 07:46 Moving to MODS (Lots of clouds, can't see 14 mag star) UT 08:07 Acquiring gd71 (calibration) UT 08:11 Obs gd71 (calibration) UT 08:12 The secondary mirror went into a failure mode (shell error). Cancelled obs. UT 08:21 Acquiring gd71 (calibration) UT 08:26 Obs gd71 (calibration) (1.1-1.3" seeing, light clouds) UT 08:44 Closed due to high winds UT 09:16 Sky is completely cloudy with thick clouds UT 10:11 Wind is high and sky is completely cloudy. Weather is predicted to get worse. We are not opening up for the rest of the night. UT 10:11 Night is over