blog:20231119

20231119

Time

1515-2230

Attendance

Roy, Olivia. Azzan

Spaces Occupied

PHYS 401, 433C, Dome

Goals

  1. Reattach 432 to DFM Scope with Filter Wheel
  2. Collect Calibration Frames
  3. Monitor in-dome and ambient temperatures to support understanding seeing measurements
  4. Collect data for limiting magnitude study
  5. Review Data Redux Pipeline

Frame Table

Time Observed Source Name Filter Int Time [s] Mag (filter) RA [h] DEC [deg] Source Type Scope Purpose Notes DomeTemp [C] Gain
20231119T1736 (Deneb) HD 197345 I 0.050 1.25 20.75 45 Star Main Pointing 15.011 w/o ag 14 150
20231119T1943 92 250 B 20×2.2 13.178(V) 1 0.75 Star Field Main Mag AG-on, A:1.293 13 150
20231119T1943 92 250 V 20×1.6 13.178(V) 1 0.75 Star Field Main Mag AG-on, A:1.347 13 150
20231119T1943 92 250 R 20×1.4 13.178(V) 1 0.75 Star Field Main Mag AG-on, A:1.301 13 150
20231119T1943 SA 20-340 B 20×2.8 8.95(V) 1 46 Star Field Main Mag AG-on, A:1.009 12 150
20231119T2128 SA 20-340 V 20×2.0 8.95(V) 1 46 Star Field Main Mag AG-on, A:1.010 12 150
20231119T1943 SA 20-340 R 20×1.9 8.95(V) 1 46 Star Field Main Mag AG-on, A:1.011 12 150
20231119T1703 FLAT B 0.21s - - - FLAT Main Calibration Used NINA 14 0
20231119T1703 FLAT V 0.21s - - - FLAT Main Calibration Used NINA 14 0
20231119T1703 FLAT R 0.10s - - - FLAT Main Calibration Used NINA 14 0
20231119T1703 FLAT I 0.11s - - - FLAT Main Calibration Used NINA 14 0
20231119T1625 DARK - 2.2s - - - DARK Main Calibration – 14 150
20231119T1625 DARK - 1.6s - - - DARK Main Calibration – 14 150
20231119T1625 DARK - 1.4s - - - DARK Main Calibration – 14 150
20231119T1625 DARK - 2.8s - - - DARK Main Calibration – 14 150
20231119T1625 DARK - 2.0s - - - DARK Main Calibration – 14 150
20231119T1625 DARK - 1.0s - - - DARK Main Calibration – 14 150
20231119T1703 DARK B 8.53s - - - FLAT Main Calibration Used NINA 14 0
20231119T1703 DARK V 3.39s - - - FLAT Main Calibration Used NINA 14 0
20231119T1703 DARK R 3.0s - - - FLAT Main Calibration Used NINA 14 0
20231119T1703 BIAS - 0.032ms - - - FLAT Main Calibration 14 0
20231119T1703 BIAS - 0.032ms - - - FLAT Main Calibration 14 150

Log

  1. Opened dome at 1515
  2. Turned-on exhaust fan
  3. Attached 432 to UVBRI Filter Wheel to Instrument Rotator to GAM-lite
  4. Taped Icron LED lights up and taped gap above instrument rotator (see picture)
  5. Choosing not to North-align to favor collection of sky flats
  6. Set focus to 1907.4, which was the optimal focus arrived at on 20231117
  7. Took flats while sun was setting, had to move towards west because of moving object in frames
  8. Pointed on Deneb – out of focus!
    1. The decision was made to get us in focus – which would ruin flats from earlier.
    2. SO. We will focus anyway, then north-align, then take dome flats at the end of the night. But only in BVRI because the dome is a bad ultra-violet radiator. COOL
  9. Deneb is too bright to focus on. But good for pointing :)
  10. Pointed at HD 200905, OPTIMAL FOCUS IS 1913.6
  11. Set Thor Inst Rotator to 85 deg for north-alignment
  12. Found two nice resources (see notes) for star fields with photometry
  13. Identified field 92 250, near equator
  14. FOR 92-250
  15. In B, skyBrightness of 9.76 e-/pix/s, actual gain of 4.44 e/ADU, dome temp 13, HFD 6.65, 4.37“
  16. In V, skyBrightness of 13.61 e-/pix/s, actual gain of 4.44 e/ADU, dome temp 13, HFD 6.565 4.7”
  17. In R, skyBrightness of 14.91 e-/pix/s, actual gain of 4.44 e/ADU, dome temp 13, HFD 6.75, 4.57“
  18. In I, skyBrightness of 3.40 e-/pix/s, actual gain of 4.44 e/ADU, dome temp 13, HFD 6.65, 4.44”
  19. MOVED TO SA 20-340, from lamdolt paper
  20. In B, skyBrightness of 7.63 e-/pix/s, actual gain of 4.44 e/ADU, dome temp 12, HFD 6.04, 4.27“
  21. In V, skyBrightness of 10.56 e-/pix/s, actual gain of 4.44 e/ADU, dome temp 12, HFD 6.05 4.22”
  22. In R, skyBrightness of 11.34 e-/pix/s, actual gain of 4.44 e/ADU, dome temp 12, HFD 6.20, 4.03“
  23. In I, skyBrightness of 2.45 e-/pix/s, actual gain of 4.44 e/ADU, dome temp 12, HFD 6.00, 4.46”
  24. Moved to taking flats
  25. Moved to taking darks
  26. Moved to taking biases

ToDo

Pls schedule good weather more spread out, thx.

Notes

  1. Main Index of Equatorial UBVRI Photometric Standard Stars
  2. U BV RI PHOTOMETRIC STANDARD STARS AROUND THE SKY AT +50 deg DECLINATION
  3. Optimal black level is just brightness -_-

HOW TO TAKE STARFIELD LGIHT FRAMES: 

1: find field
2: match to finder chart best as possible, use vertical/horizontal flips as nesscary
3: in sharpcap, go to tools>histrogram>brain icon
4: select ignore edges, minimum exposure 0.5s, max 2m, read noise limit 50%, total stacking time 5m,  aim for max dynamic raneg
5: select measure (may take a minute or two to optimize)
6: apply settings
7: MAKRE SURE GUIDNING IS on
8: go to start capture, set reasonable name with filter name, 20 frames, start
9: record sky brightness, optimal gain, actual gain, exposure time, dome temp from acurite monitor, airmass, HFD from PHD2(big number and smaller),
10:Populate chart in blog :)

Weather

  1. Sky Alert Data file uploaded to 2023-11-19 file on gDrive

Data

  1. All frames copied to 2023-11-19 on gDrive