20241222

Time

1618-0337

Attendance

Dimitry, Sarah, Saisri, Roy, Percy, Bhanu

Spaces Occupied

Dome, 433

Goals

Variable stars URA

Equipment Used

Scope	Camera	Focus
Main	ASI 2600	2065.1
Finder	ASI 482	?

Frame Table

Time Observed	Source Name	Filter	Int Time [s]	Gain	Airmass	Mag (filter)	RA [h]	DEC [deg]	Source Type	Scope	Purpose	Notes
20241222T1924	2MASS_J00263594+6047535	V	90s	150	airmass	mag(V)	00	60	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T2002	HD_236948	V	90s	150	airmass	mag(V)	02	58	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T2028	2MASS_J00263594+6047535	V	90s	150	airmass	mag(V)	00	68	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T2051	HD_236948	V	120s	150	airmass	mag(V)	02	58	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T2115	HD_236948	V	90s	150	airmass	mag(V)	02	58	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T2137	2MASS_J00263594+6047535	V	60s	150	1.236	mag(V)	00	60	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T2155	HIP_10332	V	120s	150	1.103	mag(V)	02	58	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T2210	2MASS_J02343129+5849537	V	60s	150	1.180	mag(V)	02	58	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T2334	HIP_11420	V	60s	150	1.197	mag(V)	HH	DD	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T2341	HD_236948	V	60s	150	1.261	mag(V)	HH	DD	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T0014	2MASS_J00263594+6047535	V	90s	150	1.678	mag(V)	00	60	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T0040	HIP_10332	V	120s	150	1.454	mag(V)	02	58	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T0059	HD_236948	V	90s	150	1.464	mag(V)	02	58	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T0120	HIP_11420	V	60s	150	1.481	mag(V)	HH	DD	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T0138	2MASS_J02343129+5849537	V	60s	150	1.528	mag(V)	02	58	Variable	main	URA	tracking? Others?
20241222T0158	FLATS	N/A	30s	150	N/A	mag(V)	HH	DD	Flats	main	Calibration	tracking? Others?
20241222T0228	DARKS	N/A	120s	150	N/A	mag(V)	HH	DD	Flats	main	Calibration	tracking? Others?
20241222T0307	DARKS	N/A	60s	150	N/A	mag(V)	HH	DD	Flats	main	Calibration	tracking? Others?
20241222T0333	DARKS	N/A	90s	150	N/A	mag(V)	HH	DD	Flats	main	Calibration	tracking? Others?

Log

Evening Shift

Mirror doors
1. Only south door opened
2. –> Closed door, tried again, all doors opened :)
DFMTCS System Time was off by two minutes
1. Dimitry updated system time to match cellphone
Dome was misaligned to telescope
1. Did not fix immediately (forgot)
Pointed at Deneb
1. Was off, so used SharpCap plate solving to find RA/DEC (J2000.0)
2. Updated DFM TCS (Telescope > Initialization)
3. Success
Moved to HD 201935 for focusing
1. Noticed immediately that tracking was off
2. Took 10 frames 5s apart and stored on desktop
3. Roy will analyze tonight to poke at tracking
4. In the meantime, used PHD2 to guide
Moved to 2MASS_J00331619+6254260
1. Could not identify variable/reference star in finder chart
2. Tried moving around, a range of camera settings, comparing to SIMBAD. Gave up after 20 minutes.
Moved to 2MASS_J00263594+6047535 (aiming for a brighter variable)

Midnight Shift

2100 - First capture of 2MASS_J02343129+5849537
- Tracking switch was in auxiliary position, set it back and tracking is good now
2234 - First capture of HIP_11420
2341 - Third capture of HD_236948
- Realized we used the wrong exposure time, will retake
0014 - Fourth capture of 2MASS_J00263594+6047535
- 90s exp time
- Nearly saturating at this point
- No more captures of this target
0040 - Third capture of HIP_10332
- 120s exp time
0059 - Retaking 3rd capture of HD_236948
- Correct exp time - 90s
0120 - Second capture of HIP_11420
- 60s exp time
0138 - Second set of frames for 2MASS_J02343129+5849537
- 60s exp time
0156 - 30s flats
0202 - Accidental 2nd set of 30s flats
0202 - Shutting down the dome for darks
0213 - North and south mirror doors not closing
0238 - both mirror doors closed
- broke thermalization, letting heat into the dome and thawing the mirror door motors enough for the south door to close on its own
- Bhanu hand-spun the north mirror door closed
0257 - First set of darks 120s
0307 - Second set of darks, 60s
accidentally put the data computer into sleep mode, restarted
0333 - Last set of darks (90s) done
Completed control room shutdown

ToDo

Notes

Noticed exposure time discrepancy in the third set of captures for 2MASS_J00263594+6047535. Exp time is 60 instead of 90. Will use 90s exp time for the rest of the session
Percy needs to identify a clear naming convention for dark and flat frames and include in training
Percy accidentally took another set of 30s flats under the name darks_20241222_120s, please delete that one. Thank you!
In freezing temperatures, it may be necessary to break thermalization to close the mirror doors for flats. An alternative would be to keep the mirror doors open for darks and maintain thermalization until afterwards.
Add mirror door malfunctions to troubleshooting training
- manually closing by hand-spinning motors
- pointing the telescope to increase gravitational torque

Weather

cold, mostly clear, mostly.. 17 deg Fahrenheit - below freezing

Data

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