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CHARA Array Operating Procedures\\ | CHARA Array Operating Procedures\\ | ||
Copyright © 2005-2019 The CHARA Team\\ | Copyright © 2005-2019 The CHARA Team\\ | ||
- | Last updated: | + | Last updated: |
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- | **Chapter 1: ** Lab Protocol \\ | + | **Chapter 1: ** Lab Protocol\\ |
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- | 1.1 Lab Rules Intro \\ | + | 1.1 Lab Rules Intro\\ |
The CHARA optics lab is a building within a building and is intended to provide thermal and vibrational stability. The main goal of the CHARA lab rules is to keep all optics and equipment safe from any hazards. The crucial issue being misalignment of anything. The amount of dust and dander must be kept to a minimum. | The CHARA optics lab is a building within a building and is intended to provide thermal and vibrational stability. The main goal of the CHARA lab rules is to keep all optics and equipment safe from any hazards. The crucial issue being misalignment of anything. The amount of dust and dander must be kept to a minimum. | ||
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- | **Chapter 2:** Version 2. | + | **Chapter 2:** |
- | August | + | 27 AUG 2012 by Judit, |
Preparations in the Lab Prior to Observing\\ | Preparations in the Lab Prior to Observing\\ | ||
- | These are routine tasks to be performed in and around the lab every evening to prepare the array for regular observations. | + | These are routine tasks to be performed in and around the lab every evening to prepare the array for regular observations. Note that there is a new alignment protocol for configurations that do not change night to night. Use it instead of the full alignment given here. |
2.1 Starting the vacuum pump for the light pipes | 2.1 Starting the vacuum pump for the light pipes | ||
- | Go into vacuum pump shack. | + | Go into vacuum pump shack. Flip on power switch for pump (wait for blower to go on) Open valve slowly (parallel to pipe means open) Note if fan cords are plugged into wall outlet to keep pumps cool. Note oil temperature when you start up. Oil temps below 20º C make for a labored start. Inform Larry if the oil temp is low and the heater did not run to bring the temp up before starting.\\ |
Go into lab building, check pressures on Vacmon display. If pressure is higher than 100 torr in any of the lines, pump those lines only one at a time. Open valve a little, then come back to open fully. When all lines to be used are well below 100 torr, open all those valves. The final pressure should be 0.5 - 1.0 Torr in each line. The pump will normally bring all 6 lines down to .2-.3 Torr. The S1 and S2 lines leak the most during the day and will read the highest in the afternoon when you return, usually around 10 and 20 Torr. Note any unusual vacuum readings as they can indicate a leak beyond what is normal. Sometimes a line isn't pumped down the night before and can read higher than 30 Torr. Pump the highest ones down first as stated above. | Go into lab building, check pressures on Vacmon display. If pressure is higher than 100 torr in any of the lines, pump those lines only one at a time. Open valve a little, then come back to open fully. When all lines to be used are well below 100 torr, open all those valves. The final pressure should be 0.5 - 1.0 Torr in each line. The pump will normally bring all 6 lines down to .2-.3 Torr. The S1 and S2 lines leak the most during the day and will read the highest in the afternoon when you return, usually around 10 and 20 Torr. Note any unusual vacuum readings as they can indicate a leak beyond what is normal. Sometimes a line isn't pumped down the night before and can read higher than 30 Torr. Pump the highest ones down first as stated above. | ||
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Fill both chambers on the NIRO camera. Use the gloves and glasses provided on the shelf with the funnels and the thermos. It will normally take 1 liter of LN2 in the outer chamber and 1/2 liter in the inner chamber. Fill it until the LN2 bubbles out of the top. This camera is normally kept cool all the time, exceptions will be noted.\\ | Fill both chambers on the NIRO camera. Use the gloves and glasses provided on the shelf with the funnels and the thermos. It will normally take 1 liter of LN2 in the outer chamber and 1/2 liter in the inner chamber. Fill it until the LN2 bubbles out of the top. This camera is normally kept cool all the time, exceptions will be noted.\\ | ||
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- | Record that you filled the camera in the log book, noting time and camera filled. Note also the vacuum measurement for the MIRCX camera. | + | Record that you filled the camera in the log book, noting time and camera filled. Note also the vacuum measurement for the MIRCX camera. If you do not observe due to weather, fire or closure, make sure someone on the mountain will fill it for you. |
2.3 Alignment of the light path to the telescopes\\ | 2.3 Alignment of the light path to the telescopes\\ | ||
Go into the lab. The green alignment laser on the light source table is used. To open necessary guis, use laptops or the two tablets inside lab. Tablets are the newest hand held units and are located on the west and south walls plugged into chargers.\\ | Go into the lab. The green alignment laser on the light source table is used. To open necessary guis, use laptops or the two tablets inside lab. Tablets are the newest hand held units and are located on the west and south walls plugged into chargers.\\ | ||
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- | 2.3.1 In the lab (Beam Combination area) Turn on power switch for alignment laser, and turn the key. Above the tiptilt camera, turn on the Pico 3 controller. | + | 2.3.1 In the lab (Beam Combination area) Turn on power switch for alignment laser, and turn the key. Above the tiptilt camera, turn on the Pico 3 controller. |
2.3.2 Laser alignment to east table | 2.3.2 Laser alignment to east table | ||
- | Check the laser spots on the E table target at North wall of Beam Switching area. On Laser Filter gui, select ND 0.0 Make sure VEGA periscope is UP. Open LASER shutter on the SHUTTERS gui and open shutters for the beams you are going to use. Using the VISBEAMS gui, move the laser to the first beam pair you will check, ie. Beams 1& | + | Check the laser spots on the E table target at North wall of Beam Switching area. On Laser Filter gui, select ND 0.0 Make sure VEGA periscope is UP. Open LASER shutter on the SHUTTERS gui and open shutters for the beams you are going to use. Using the VISBEAMS gui, move the laser to the first beam pair you will check, ie. Beams 1&2. Using the Beam Samplers gui, move beam samplers off of the beams you will align. Check each spot that is going to be used on each pair (for ex. 1&2, 2&3, 3&4, etc.) Use Pico3 gui to center laser dots on cross hairs. Be mindful of which pair was selected with VISBEAMS. (1&2-2 and 2&3-2 appear at the same spot, but different pieces of optics are involved) Use the Beam Samplers gui to put telescopes back on the appropriate beams. Note that when multiple telescope/ |
If the telescopes were used on the same beam on the previous night, the next steps may be very close and should not need much if any adjustment.\\ | If the telescopes were used on the same beam on the previous night, the next steps may be very close and should not need much if any adjustment.\\ | ||
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2.3.3 dichroic alignments with labao | 2.3.3 dichroic alignments with labao | ||
- | NOTE: As of 2017Jul | + | NOTE: As of 2017 Jul 05, please align the dichroics following the instructions in {{: |
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2.3.4 Checking the alignment to the rail target | 2.3.4 Checking the alignment to the rail target | ||
- | Put the rail target onto delay lines (toward back of the room from home sensor) | + | Put the rail target onto delay lines (toward back of the room from home sensor) Make sure carts are at back of the rails. Check spot on back side of target. If alignment is bad at the back, follow instructions for BRT adjustments. (Printed sheet on metrology table) |
- | 2.3.5 IR alignments are below in 2.4\\ | + | 2.3.5 IR alignments are below in 2.4\\ |
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2.3.6 M10 Alignment | 2.3.6 M10 Alignment | ||
- | Go to a computer anywhere to check the beam remotely at the telescopes. | + | Go to a computer anywhere to check the beam remotely at the telescopes. Check Vacuum Monitor that the vacuum is below 20 torr. Open telescope gui from pull down menu. Click TV [ON] to open the camera window and click [M10AL] to change view to the M10 alignment view, click [M7 open] to open the M7 mirror cover. Center bright spot in beam on the black reference spot. You may need to adjust the IRIS or the TV brightness to see the bright spot well. [BEAM] cycles the iris from open to closed and gives a good idea of where the center of the spot is. To adjust the position, use Pico 2 to select, for example, E2M10 → [MOVE] (use large steps ~ 100). Note that the up, down, left, and right buttons do no correspond to the actual directions the spot will move. When the spot is centered, click [M7 close] to close the mirror cover * click TV [OFF] to close the window |
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2.3.7 Labao wfs camera covers and labao shutters\\ | 2.3.7 Labao wfs camera covers and labao shutters\\ | ||
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- | **Put the Covers on** gently when doing the following alignment steps in the lab: IR mirror check to CLIMB or MIRC with alignment laser or beam combiner alignments with white light source or tiptilt Zabers alignment with alignment laser. | + | **Put the Covers on** gently when doing the following alignment steps in the lab: IR mirror check to CLIMB or MIRC with alignment laser or beam combiner alignments with white light source or tiptilt Zabers alignment with alignment laser. |
**Covers off** after you remove the corner cubes from their bases.\\ | **Covers off** after you remove the corner cubes from their bases.\\ | ||
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For CLIMB 1 and CLIMB 2, the removable 6-beam target should be placed in the clamps on the CLIMB table. This also applies to aligning CLIMB for fringe tracking for VEGA or fringe finding for PAVO.\\ | For CLIMB 1 and CLIMB 2, the removable 6-beam target should be placed in the clamps on the CLIMB table. This also applies to aligning CLIMB for fringe tracking for VEGA or fringe finding for PAVO.\\ | ||
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- | For MIRCX, the same target should be placed in the clamps on the MIRCX table. | + | For MIRCX, the same target should be placed in the clamps on the MIRCX table. Place the target to the appropriate table, making sure it seats firmly in the clamps. Place the small corner cubes (labeled) on their bases at the BRTs. Make sure they seat firmly and correctly. Open IR shutters, send laser light using VISBEAMS gui to the position you want to check. Use a tablet to bring up Pico 2 gui. Click on icon or in xterm type: xpico2. Select the appropriate IR mirror for the beam you are about to adjust. For ex: S1IR. The Beam Sampler gui tells you which telescope is in the beam you are aligning. When done for all telescope to be used, remove target and place it above the CLASSIC/ |
2.5 Starting up OPLE and Metrology | 2.5 Starting up OPLE and Metrology | ||
Go to OPLE racks and turn on OPLE Power on top unit (top of left most rack) This is the VME. Turn on power for surge protector (bottom of left most rack), turn on power for amplifiers for cart movement and cable pullers and once the central red light on the VME rack goes out, turn on the Burleigh amplifiers for telescopes that will be used.\\ | Go to OPLE racks and turn on OPLE Power on top unit (top of left most rack) This is the VME. Turn on power for surge protector (bottom of left most rack), turn on power for amplifiers for cart movement and cable pullers and once the central red light on the VME rack goes out, turn on the Burleigh amplifiers for telescopes that will be used.\\ | ||
- | To test cart motions: On computer outside lab, bring up Primary Ople Server, type in " | + | To test cart motions: On computer outside lab, bring up Primary Ople Server, type in " |
Check delay line wires on carts, make sure nothing is on tracks\\ | Check delay line wires on carts, make sure nothing is on tracks\\ | ||
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- | On the Metrology table inside the lab * Turn on two blue amplifiers for metrology laser (on button is labeled " | + | On the Metrology table inside the lab, turn on two blue amplifiers for metrology laser (on button is labeled " |
2.6 Final steps in the lab | 2.6 Final steps in the lab | ||
- | If using CLASSIC or CLIMB, turn on the black box above the NIRO computer, and then turn on the silver box below it on the same cart. Remove cover on camera. | + | If using CLASSIC or CLIMB, turn on the black box above the NIRO computer, and then turn on the silver box below it on the same cart. Remove cover on camera. After lab is completely setup, you need to take off tiptilt cover if using lab tiptilt, but do so with only the dim lights on and the laser shutter closed so as not to blast CCD with light. |
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**Chapter 3: ** | **Chapter 3: ** | ||
- | (edited 2012Aug29 | + | 17 DEC 2019 by Norm |
Setting up Computer in the Control Room | Setting up Computer in the Control Room | ||
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3.1 General Overview of Control Room computer setup | 3.1 General Overview of Control Room computer setup | ||
- | There are six computer screens which are now horizontally arrayed. | + | There are six computer screens which are now horizontally arrayed. Window layouts can be saved and reloaded to suit each operator. Use the third icon from the left in the toolbar |
- | 3.2 After aligning the lab, you can turn on the following from the POWER GUI: To change the setting on the power GUI, unclick LOCK, make change, re-click LOCK * Under Rack_2, turn on [METSCOPE] (button will turn green when ON) * If observing with CLASSIC, turn on [NIRO CPU] and [CLS-DITH] on Rack_2 * If observing with CLIMB, turn on [NIRO CPU] on Rack_2 | + | 3.2 Setting up for observing |
- | Open Cosmic Debris, CD for short, | + | |
- | Set the instrument and settings on Cosmic Debris | + | Turn on the following from the POWER GUI: To change the setting on the power GUI, unclick LOCK, make change, re-click LOCK. Under RACK_2, turn on [METSCOPE] (button will turn green when ON). If observing with CLASSIC, turn on [NIRO CPU] and [CLS-DITH] on RACK_2. |
- | Establish connection between tiptilt and the telescopes. | + | |
- | Finish setting up tiptilt GUIs * Click re-open on the Tiptilt GUI. This will update the TT labels on the TT viewing screens from B1,B2,etc to the telescope names * Click on the [SERVO CONTROL] tab on the tiptilt GUI to bring up a second window and move to screen 5 with the telescope guis. * The Servo Control GUI allows you to turn ON the servo for the TT loop and make biases for individual beams (DBIAS and ZBIAS) | + | 3.3 Servers |
- | Turning on the metrology laser * Make sure that no one is in the lab. * Turn the Laser on using the metrology laser GUI. The [Laser Power] button will go from red to green. | + | |
- | Home each of the active carts * The carts must be homed before observing or else fringes will not be found. Do not forget this step or endless frustration will follow. | + | Servers can be opened |
+ | |||
+ | 3.4 Open Telescope guis, or obsgtks from icons on desktop | ||
+ | |||
+ | 3.5 Open GUIs required for observing from the menu under GTK or the desktop icons: Open Primary OPLE gui, Open Classic, Climb1, or Climb2 gui if needed, Open LDC1 and LDC2 if VEGA or PAVO programs are observing. Open Tiptilt GUI, This will bring up Tiptilt GUI and Tiptilt viewing screens for all telescopes * Move viewing screens near telescope TV screens | ||
+ | |||
+ | 3.6 Using the Cosmic Debris job sequencer | ||
+ | |||
+ | Open Cosmic Debris, CD for short, from the desktop icon. On the CONFIGURE tab, check to make sure the PoPs and telescope beam assignments agree with the white board or the setup email. | ||
+ | Set the instrument and settings on Cosmic Debris. On the " | ||
+ | Establish connection between tiptilt and the telescopes. On the Control Tab on Cosmic Debris, click on [TIPTILT COMM]. Click [START JOB QUEUE] on CD to continue the Tiptilt Communication sequence. | ||
+ | Finish setting up tiptilt GUIs. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 3.7 Turn on metrology laser and home the carts | ||
+ | |||
+ | Make sure that no one is in the lab. Turn the Laser on using the metrology laser GUI. The [Laser Power] button will go from red to green. On the Metrology Monitor GUI, click [INITIALIZE] to initialize the metrology. A window will pop up to indicate a successful initialization. Hit [OK] on the window to close it. Select REFALL and the UNK signal for each cart being used. Hit " | ||
+ | Home each of the active carts. The carts must be homed before observing or else fringes will not be found. Do not forget this step or endless frustration will follow. At the start of the night the carts will usually be at the back of the rails with the back switch (BS) column marked with an " | ||
+ | |||
+ | 3.8 Synchronizing the clocks | ||
+ | |||
+ | Synchronizing the clocks is very important for positional calculations of the telescopes and ople carts. All clocks are synchronized with the [SYNC CLOCKS] button on Cosmic Debris. Push the button, and after 17 seconds, a series of messages will display on CD to indicate that the various systems and servers are sync' | ||
+ | |||
+ | 3.9 | ||
+ | |||
+ | The following windows should be opened on computer screen | ||
+ | |||
+ | 3.10 | ||
+ | |||
+ | See the instruments page for information about starting different instruments at the beginning of the night:\\ | ||
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- | **Chapter 4: ** === = Observing Conditions | + | **Chapter 4: **Observing Conditions |
+ | |||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 4.1 Observing Conditions Intro | ||
+ | |||
+ | In opening the CHARA Array, conditions should be, for the most part, ideal. It is best if the sky is 60% to 70% clear and conditions stable before commencing. Delicate optics and electronics make up the majority of the Array and it’s better to err on the side of caution. In preparation for observing, the Mount Wilson weather server and web-based weather pages should be consulted. The telescopes can now be closed in about 5 minutes from the control room. With this in mind, don’t open up the telescopes to observe if conditions can change for the worse rapidly enough that you don’t get 10 minutes or more to close down safely. Weather stations now exist at each bunker and there is a control system software application to display the current conditions. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 4.2 Humidity | ||
+ | |||
+ | Only open the telescopes if the humidity is steady or dropping, at 75% or below. If the roofs outside the control room are ever dripping, then the telescopes should not be opened or should be closed immediately. If when starting out, the RH is above 80%, do not open unless it drops to below 75% and stays there for at least 30 minutes. If you do open after that, be wary and watch the RH, and if it starts rising, be prepared to close. Closing up takes about 5 minutes, so be ready for that. The array operator is in charge of protecting the telescopes and makes the final decision on whether the conditions are safe to open. If the RH is low at the beginning of the night, and rises after you are already open, the array operator should inform the PI around 70-75%, and start closing between 80-85%. Other humidity warning signs are: 1) water dripping off the OPLE building (or wet spots on the asphalt straight down from the eaves); 2) cold, clammy feel to metal objects such as railings; and 3) dew forming on the parked cars. It is important to note that the humidity can rise from 50% to 80% in as little as 10 minutes, so please keep a close eye on the rate of change of the humidity plots. It can also rain or hail from small, passing clouds when the humidity is quite low, even 40% RH or lower. Operators have been surprised before by small puffy clouds in unsettled air with low humidity. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 4.3 Dust | ||
+ | |||
+ | Gauging the airborne dust and pollen can be problematic because you need a bright light and a relatively dark night. In general, you want to look in the bottom 0.5 meter of the light column. There will be a diffuse column lit up by the beam – don’t worry about it, just follow the dust glints. If you can count the dust glints, the conditions are safe to observe. If it looks like a blizzard, close up. If any of the dust glints shine with an orange or a peach hue, or the dust glints look abnormally large, the dust is probably ash – close up immediately. Ash seriously degrades bare aluminum coatings. Dust and wind go together. But, just because it is calm, the dust conditions might still be bad. If it was windy a few days earlier, it could have kicked up a lot of dust, which can take several days to settle. Finally, during late spring to early summer, conifer tree pollen can be problematic. If particulates are borderline please email the CHARA day staff so they can clean the optics as soon as possible. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 4.4 Wind | ||
+ | |||
+ | Wind has the effect of degrading the seeing as well as kicking up dust. The wind effects are amplified in the tunnel between the OPLE building and the office building, so look for other places to gauge the wind conditions. The intersection of the road and the trail to the eastern telescopes is a good place to gauge conditions. To be on the safe side, we only observe under calm to light breeze conditions (gusts less than about 10 knots, or 15 kph). Windy conditions we try to avoid. If you can hear the gusts from your desk, whistling from the light pipe supports, or the chain banging, it is too windy to observe. Occasionally you will hear the wind rustling the tops of the tall trees, but it is calm at ground level. This is a symptom of chaotic wind conditions, and almost always happens during windy episodes (Santa Anas, onshore flows, etc.), during which you shouldn’t observe – the seeing will be bad anyway. Be cautious about opening if wind gusts are above 15-20 kph; winds this high are usually correlated with bad seeing and poor data quality. Telescopes and domes should be closed if the wind gusts get up to 30 kph. This will protect the optics from branches and debris that can be blown in from the surrounding trees. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 4.5 Snow | ||
+ | |||
+ | Because of the nature of the snow that falls on Mount Wilson, it is usually not a problem. If snow/wind conditions are such that drifting occurs, don’t open up. If there is still any snow stuck to the telescope dome itself, don’t open up. If there is snow still on the trees and branches procede with caution and make a visual assessment. Otherwise, you are free to observe (assuming the humidity, dust, and wind conditions allow it). | ||
+ | |||
+ | 4.6 Essential Observing Links | ||
+ | |||
+ | 150-Foot Solar Tower Current TowerCam Image ([[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | Caltech Millikan Library Camera ([[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | National Weather Service ([[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | CHARA telescopes spy cams and weather graph ([[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | Mount Wilson HP Wren Cameras ([[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | Aerospace Corporation weather station ([[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jet stream forecast ([[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | IR satellite loop ([[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | California Regional Weather Server ([[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | Clear Sky Clock ([[http:// | ||
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- | Picture_4.png === 4.1 Observing Conditions Intro ===\ \ In opening the CHARA Array, conditions should be, for the most part, ideal. If the weather is questionable, | ||
- | Because of the nature of the snow that falls on Mount Wilson, it is usually not a problem. If snow/wind conditions are such that drifting occurs, don’t open up. If there is still any snow stuck to the telescope dome itself, don’t open up. If there is snow still on the trees and branches procede with caution and make a visual assessment. Otherwise, you are free to observe (assuming the humidity, dust, and wind conditions allow it). === 4.6 Essential Observing Links === * 150-Foot Solar Tower Current TowerCam Image ([[http:// | ||
[[: | [[: | ||
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- | **Chapter 5:** ==== Going on Sky ==== === 5.1 Opening the Telescope Domes and enclosures | + | **Chapter 5:** Going on Sky |
+ | |||
+ | 5.1 Opening the Telescope Domes and enclosures\\ | ||
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You can begin opening the telescope domes and enclosures about an hour or two before sunset. This will help air out the domes and improve seeing at the start of the night. Hot days benefit from an earlier opening to allow the scopes to cool. Before opening the domes make sure to check the current weather conditions and the forecast to make sure conditions are safe to open and are likely to be stable as you wait for it to get dark. Also confirm that Judit has finished the alignments in the lab as opening the domes will not allow the completion of the M10 alignments. If you do not see her, call the computer room phone number listed on the clipboard on the wall. * Monitor the progress of opening the domes by turning the televisions [ON] using the telescope GUIs. Click [SPY1] to view the dome slit. * Use the Dome GUI for each telescope to rotate the domes to the east. This will position the dome slit away from the sun so that you can open the slit before sunset. * Go to the Dome Tab on the Dome GUI. In the text box on the right, enter 90 and press [GOTO]. This will move the dome slit to the east. * When the domes are facing east (and all lab alignments are finished), click [SLIT OPEN] on the Control Tab of the telescope GUI to open the dome slit. * On the enclosure GUI, click the [OBSERVE] button to open the lower cylinders to the observe position. * Wait for the slit and enclosures to open and then wait for the sun to go down. === 5.2 Opening telescope optics ===\\ | You can begin opening the telescope domes and enclosures about an hour or two before sunset. This will help air out the domes and improve seeing at the start of the night. Hot days benefit from an earlier opening to allow the scopes to cool. Before opening the domes make sure to check the current weather conditions and the forecast to make sure conditions are safe to open and are likely to be stable as you wait for it to get dark. Also confirm that Judit has finished the alignments in the lab as opening the domes will not allow the completion of the M10 alignments. If you do not see her, call the computer room phone number listed on the clipboard on the wall. * Monitor the progress of opening the domes by turning the televisions [ON] using the telescope GUIs. Click [SPY1] to view the dome slit. * Use the Dome GUI for each telescope to rotate the domes to the east. This will position the dome slit away from the sun so that you can open the slit before sunset. * Go to the Dome Tab on the Dome GUI. In the text box on the right, enter 90 and press [GOTO]. This will move the dome slit to the east. * When the domes are facing east (and all lab alignments are finished), click [SLIT OPEN] on the Control Tab of the telescope GUI to open the dome slit. * On the enclosure GUI, click the [OBSERVE] button to open the lower cylinders to the observe position. * Wait for the slit and enclosures to open and then wait for the sun to go down. === 5.2 Opening telescope optics ===\\ |