ANNOUNCEMENTS and UPDATES

last modified… 9 November 2012

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• 9 NOV (neff): There have been some minor modifications to the checklist as a result of today's training session. Added a few items to the "troubleshooting section". Also note that the TCS program and TheSky start up when you log in to the observer account. If the dome is not pointing north and the telescope at the zenith once TCS starts, you can move them to their "home" positions with the handpaddle and then restart TCS.

• 8 NOV (neff): Students in ASTR377 will be doing various projects in the dome during November. There might be instruments around, the computer might be logged into a different account, and the telescope might not be configured for the eyepiece. If you wish to use the telescope this month, it would be a very good idea to check with Neff in advance.

• 14 OCT 12 (neff): Use the new CHECKLIST. Supplemental guides for using the imager and spectrometer are being prepared. There are 3 generic accounts: use "OBSERVER" if you just plan to use the eyepiece; use "IMAGER" if you are using the Apogee AltaU6 ccd camera; use "SPECTROMETER" if you are using the SBIG Self-Guiding Spectrograph.

• 12 OCT 12 (neff): Dome shutter power switch has been repaired.

• 10 OCT 12 (neff): Dome shutter power switch is flakey to inoperable. Don't open unless you know you can close the shutter manually before any potential rainfall!

• For more information, check out the observatory's Public web site.

-------------------------------------------- (archives; most is not relevant any more) ----------------------------------------

• 7 NOV 07 (neff): The observer account still doesn’t work, and the start up/shutdown scripts will bomb because the dome is not run from the computer right now. So log in as CCD and just run the sky then pull down “Telescope/Link/Establish in the Sky after you’ve got TCS set up.

• 1 NOV 07 (neff): The PC serial line has been removed. The dome control works fine manually. The OBSERVER account is not properly configured, and the orchestrate script will bomb. I plan to fix this before the public night Friday. The CCD account is properly configured. I will be taking the CCD off for public night.

• 31 OCT 07 (neff): We are having problems with the dome azimuth controller. I will be fixing it Wednesday and Thursday. In the mean time, contact me if you need to use the telescope.

• 11 APR 07 (neff): I put the CCD back on the filterwheel/pickoff mirror. We don’t have enough slack in the USB cable to safely use it with the 16”, and we don’t have a long serial cable for the filter wheel yet. It is possible to mount it on the scope now, but let’s wait until I can get some longer cables. In the meantime, Charles Taylor is doing a lot of tests with the CCD in the control room, so make sure that nothing is running before you try to observe.

• 11 APR 07 (neff): The filter wheel and dome stopped working because the port definitions in the Keyspan Serial->USB box got changed. I don’t know what causes that, but it’s happened before. I reset everything to the way they are supposed to be (dome on port1/COM1; tcs computer on port3/COM6; filterwheel on port4/COM3). The long serial cable definitely is hosed, but it will be replaced any day now. Anyway, everything works again, but don’t try to use the B or V filter. In fact, leave it on position 1 (empty hole) unless you have a reason to do otherwise. Better still, don’t connect to it at all (select “none” rather than “DFM filter wheel” in CCDSoft setup menu. Please let me know if any problems develop.

• 7 APR 07 (neff): The filter wheel now works again. I will get a new serial cable, then we will clean the filters and re-attach the CCD so it can be mounted on the telescope. This should be ready by early next week. The bad news is that the B and V filters are totally ruined. They will be replaced over the summer. Students are doing 370 projects right now, so be very careful not to disturb their work for the next few weeks.

• 20 MAR 07 (neff): The new CCD camera works fine. Now we are having trouble getting the filter wheel to respond. We have also isolated, but not yet fixed, the problem with the dome azimuth controller. Progress is being made. Telescope is usable, without the CCD/filter wheel. If you need to mount the camera on the telescope, let me know.

• 2 MAR 07 (neff): Collimation looks very good! Telescope is ready for use with eyepiece. RTL and I tried to plug the new CCD in, but it will take some TLC to make it work. After spring break we will get back to work on it. Have fun with the Lunar Eclipse!

• 1 MAR 07 (neff): Telescope is back in service. Please monitor the collimation and let me know if it needs to be adjusted. The CCD has been replaced and is not yet ready to return to service. Filters will be cleaned before we put the filterwheel back on the telescope. Happy observing!

• 13 DEC 06 (neff): Observatory is DOWN until further notice. The primary mirror has been removed. It will be sent off for recoating and reinstalled in about a month. THE CCD camera and dome azimuth controller will be fixed while we are waiting for the mirror. Hopefully everything will be back in place for next semester. Have a good holiday break.

• 29 SEP 06 (neff): The dome controller is not working, but it still needs to be plugged in while the telescope is working (The Sky needs feedback from Automadome). Please turn the dome controller off, disconnect the PC serial line, and shut off the UPS to the dome control when you are finished.

• 26 SEP 06 (neff): The CCD has been removed from the telescope. It is still available for any student projects, but we need to dry it out before it is reinstalled. Please let me know if you plan to use it; in the mean time we’ll leave the eyepiece on there for labs and public viewing.

• 20 JUN 06 (neff): Filter wheel is back on-line. It was set to com port 2. I reset it to com port 8, and everything works. The mapping on the keyspan is such that #1=COM1èdome control (Automadome); #2=COM6èTCS Computer (The Sky); #3=COM7 (empty); #4=COM8èDFM Filter Wheel (controlled by CCDSoft). If things get changed arbitrarily again, make sure the definitions in the software set-up menus match these mappings. Everything is working except the dome azimuth controller (see 10 Feb) message.

• 10 Feb 06 (neff & true): Telescope is back on-line. There are still problems, so read on…. We installed the roller in the dome track and greased the tracks and gears. We also re-installed the dome azimuth controller. The dome now works very well, and the azimuth control works fine manually (using the right and left buttons in the dome). However, the dome controller has lost all its memory, so it is not working with Automodome. We are looking into this, but the scope is usable now (you just have to run upstairs and tweak the dome pointing after each move). We also took a hammer to the filter wheel, and it seems to behave for us. Actually, we fiddled with the Keyspan control software and the DFM filter wheel setup in CCDSoft. Anyway, it works now.

• 3 MAR 05 (neff & true): We fixed the serial cable for the filter wheel. EVERYTHING WORKS NOW!! The next CCD user needs to route the cables up to the dome before mounting the camera. We still need a more permanent balance procedure.

• 23 FEB 05 (neff): The filter wheel works fine with a short cable. I’ll go get us a good serial cable and hook it up so that everything will work right with the ccd. Any CCD users should speak with me about telescope balance before and after using the camera. We are working on a more permanent solution. In the meantime, everything is working ok.

• 17 NOV 04 (neff): Telescope should work now. COM1 is the dome, COM6 is the TCS. CCD Users will have to figure out how to configure the filter wheel serial port. All serial ports now go into the Keyspan serial->USB adapter. The filter wheel runs only at 1200 Baud. The others run at 9600.

• 11 NOV 04 (neff): Telescope is down until further notice. The dome controller has been sent back to the factory for a re-wiring. As soon as it gets back, I’ll install it and we’ll be back in business. Also in the meantime, we’ll get some more serial ports. Expect down time of about 2 weeks.

• 9 NOV 04 (neff): We seem to have lost yet another serial port. I robbed the serial-to-usb line from the filter wheel (com2) and plugged the TCS computer into com2. It is now no longer possible to run the telescope using TheSky simultaneous with using the camera and filter wheel. If you are a CCD observer and want to use the filter wheel, simply disconnect the TCS line from com2 and plug the filter wheel line into it (you don’t have to change any settings). Run the telescope using TCS, not TheSky. Run the CCD with CCDSoft. We’ll get some new ports asap.

• 5 NOV 04 (neff): The telescope works fine, but the computer control of the dome rotation does not. The dome can be rotated using the box on the wall in the dome. The serial ports were blown by lightning. I’m trying to put together a fix.

• 29 OCT 03 (neff): It is OK to use the telescope again. Make sure you use the latest copy of the checklist (in the notebook). I replaced the declination motor. Pointing seems ok for now. Both RA and Dec drives need tuning, but I can schedule that around labs.

• 16 OCT 03 (neff): TELESCOPE IS BROKEN!!! DO NOT USE!!! I broke it while trying to fix it. The dec drive will “run away” the minute you turn it on, so don’t turn it on!!

• 14 OCT 03 (true): Did our first multiple person training run today at 4:30 with Jon Hakkila and Linwood Wadsworth. Jon Hakkila wished to spread kudos to those of us on making this telescope operation and control beautiful and smooth.

• 10 OCT 03 (neff): I will print out new copies of the checklist before next week's training sessions.

• 10 OCT 03 (neff): I put START OBSERVING and STOP OBSERVING on the start menu from the Observer account. I modified and clarified the checklist. I put tape on the control box panel to indicate the correct positions (i.e. away from the black tape) of each switch. Only the Track swith and the Halt Motors button are normally used, but the positions of the other switches are important. I also put a carbon copy of the local documentation page on public site.

• 9 OCT 03 (neff): There is a new "Start Observing" and "Stop Observing" icons on the desktop. When called for in the checklist, double click on the "Start Observing" icon. To "run" it, click the icon in the middle with a vertical, downpointing arrow on it. Alternatively, Macro->Run. When you are ready to quit, minimize (do not exit) TheSky and double click on the "Stop Observing" icon. Always answer "no" if it prompts you to save startup.orc, shutdown.orc, or normal.sky.

• 8 OCT 03 (neff): Updates to the Procedures Document. Updates to the links from the main documentation page.

• 6 OCT 03 (neff): The first training session is scheduled for Tuesday night, 7 October. Everyone will receive a copy of the checklist and a copy of the policies. Make sure you check for updates to these documents each time you observe.