INAF queue observing, 2013 April 1 - April 2

Observer: E. Sani, M. Faccini, A. Bongiorno
Telescope Operator: S. Anderson
Support Astronomer: M. Edwards
Instrument: LUCI img - MODS

Summary

At the beginning of the night we have thin sky conditions with 50% humidity and wind average speed 10 m/s. Seeing is at 0.8/0.9
At the beginning of the scientific operations the average seeing on the GCS is 0.9.

Data Summary

Project_RUN	Objects	Filter	ExpTime	Notes
Standard	PG0823	dual	-	airmass 1.08
Fritz_04D	GG190	dual	3h20min	COMPLETE
Annibali_23A	NGC4449	dual	1h30min	the last 45min are affected by bad seeing and thick clouds passing. To be repeated.
Covino_10	CXOJ1348+26	dual	2h	average seeing within the specs. Moon illumination 60% at 80deg from the target

Details

00:26 We start by performing MODS calibrations

• execMODS grpixflats.cal mods1r 0002 - 0006 mods1b 0002- 0011 standard slitless flats for all programs. Are GOOD
• execMODS grflats.cal mods1r 0007 - 0021 mods1b 0012- 0021 Fritz_04 Flats, counts too high especially for the VFlat.
• mods1r 0007-0011 mods1b 0012-0016 are GOOD. We repeat the saturated flats at the end of the night.

01:20 We run some test to find the proper balance between the lamp power and exposure time:

• mods1r 0022-0024 test for VFlat lamp (changing lamp power and exptime), with the red channel. GOOD with VFlat power 8.0 and exptime 4s
• mods1r 0025 mods1b 0022 test QTH1 + QTH2 lamps, 0.3s red-channel, 2s blue channel. Low counts
• mods1r 0026 mods1b 0023 test QTH1 + QTH2 lamps, 0.5s red-channel, 4s blue channel. Blue OK, low in the red.
• mods1r 0027 test QTH1 + QTH2 lamps power 8.0, 0.5s low counts.
• mods1r 0028 test QTH1 + QTH2 lamps power 8.0, 1.5s saturated.

01:52 The TO opens the dome

02:21 Slew to standard star for Fritz_04D

• acqMODS PG0823.acq
• modsAlign -r mods1r 0029
• shell RIP, we haveto send the preset again

02:33 acqMODS PG0823.acq mods1r 0030-0032

• modsAlign -r mods1r 0030

02:42 execMODS PG0823.obs mods1r 0033-0034 mods1b 0024

• we are still in the twilight, we repeat the spectra integration also after the end of twilight

03:03 execMODS PG0823.obs

• no images taken

03:04 TO asked to pause due to shell RIP of the secondary mirror

03:08 execMODS PG0823.obs mods1r 0035-0036 mods1b 0025

• preset cancel to unwrap the rotator

03:24 acqMODS GG190.acq mods1r 0037

• acq canceled due to a MODS error (red GO exposure already in progress)

03:30 acqMODS GG190.acq mods1r 0038-0040

• modsAlign -l mods1r 0038 mods1r 0039

03:48 execMODS GG190.obs mods1r 0041-0044 mods1b 0026-0029

• during this exposure the average seeing on the GCS increases from 0.85 to 1.5 (see attached plot)

07:21 acqMODS mods.4449_runa.acq mods1r 0045-0047

• modsAlign mods.4449_runa.mms mods1r 0045 mods1r 0046

07:41 execMODS mods.4449_runa_short.obs mods1r 0048-49 mods1b 0030-31

• we run a shortened ob to execute only the remaining integration time.
• Thick + thin clouds are coming. The average seeing on GCS is 1.5

9:18 Slew to Covino_10 scientific target CXO J1348+26

• acqMODS 10.acq mods1r 0050-0054
• we get (twice) the same error as before, and re-run the acquisition.
• at the third presetting, we get only the field image mods1r 0050 and the slit image is missing.
• modsAlign -l mods1r 0051 mods1r 0052

09:59 execMODS 10.obs mods1r 0055-0058 mods1b 0032-0035

• The sky conditions are better at the beginning of this scientific integration, with the clouds mostly gone.
• The average seeing at the beginning of integration is 1.3 on the GCS.
• The average seeing at the end of integration is 1.3 on the GCS.

12:13 The TO closes the DOME

12:23 We start MODS flats and arcs

• execMODS grflats.cal for Fritz_04 program mods1r0059-0063 mods1b0036-0040== with QTH1 + QTH2 GOOD
• mods1r0064-0068 with VFlat GOOD
• execMODS grlamps.cal for Covino_10 mods1r0069-0077 mods1b0041-0049
• execMODS bias.cal mods1r0078-0082 mods1b0050-0054

-- EleanoraSani - 01 Apr 2013