Blog from October, 2022

AstroClub Observation
Roy Prouty posted on Oct 20, 2022

Attendance

  • Onkar
  • Roy
  • Tara


Date & Time

8:45P-11:30A


Spaces Occupied

  • Control Room
  • Dome


Goals

  • Better characterize issues
  • Look at something pretty!


Action Items/Things Done

Mirror Doors

  1. South mirror door took at least 3s longer to open than others
  2. East mirror door made a sound – it seems like it was under tension for the last second or so and it was released as it fell into position.
  3. Mirror doors opened successfully, otherwise

Connected CMOS

Pointed at Deneb. No joy.

Fabric was in the way. Onkar removed.

Attempted to point at Deneb again. No Joy.

Removed CMOS, confirmed it worked directly to Data Computer.

Checked optical path. Was good.

Reconnected CMOS.

Pointed at Deneb. No joy, confirmed with spotter scope.

Pointed at Jupiter. 

Moved scope around and eventually found it. Pointing was just off. We didn't understand the range of values the CMOS was giving.

Centered on Deneb again and adjusted focus to get optimal seeing. Around 3(arcsec?). Optimal focus was 1914 per DFM TCS.

Roy talked AT LENGTH about detector linear regions and saturation.

Roy talked about sources of error (Darks, Flats, Biases). 

Tara will look into how CCD technology differs from CMOS technology.

Closed up shop.

  1. Disconnected CMOS from SharpCap
  2. Stowed Scope at Zenith and disabled Tracking
  3. Closed mirror doors
  4. Closed dome shutters
  5. Disconnected scope from TheSky6
  6. Disconnected CMOS and USBA-C from GAM and LBD
  7. Turned DFMTCS Off
  8. Stored CMOS
  9. Halted all Motors (red button), turned motor driver chassis off, turned drives off

Notes

Anti-glare material is completely removed. We need to talk to Erik about this.

LUM of dark sky in CMOS is less than 100 for 0 gain and 0.5s.

Pointing was not perfectly preserved between sessions.

20221012
Onkar Rekhi posted on Oct 12, 2022

Attendance

  • Onkar
  • Jackson
  • Matt
  • Tara


Date & Time

8P-12A


Spaces Occupied

  • Control Room
  • Dome


Goals

  • Get images of moon and/or stellar objects
  • Calibrate pointing


Action Items/Things Done

Glorious Cables

  1. Plugged in CMOS to Data Computer (DaCo) directly
  2. Connected CMOS to DaCo via Long Blue Data Cable (LBD Cable)
    1. Worked for once in its life
  3. As we were taking a long exposure, SharpCap lost the camera ~45 min in to obs session
  4. Disconnected all cables, reconnected
    1. DaCo to LBD, LBD to USB-A, USB-A to USB-B cable specifcially, USB-B to CMOS
    2. NOTHING
  5. Brought CMOS downstars, plugged directly into DaCo via same USB-A to USB-B cable
    1. NOTHING
  6. Restarted SharpCap
    1. NOTHING
  7. Restarted DaCo
    1. SOMETHING?
  8. Not sure why, SharpCap recognized CMOS after DaCo restart
    1. worked with USB-C to USB-B cable
    2. worked with USB-A to USB-B cable
  9. back upstairs we go
  10. CMOS reinstalled into big boi
    1. CMOS to USB-B USB-C cable to laptop hub to LBD
      1. nothing
    2. CMOS to USB-B USB-A cable to laptop hub to LBD
      1. still nothing
    3. CMOS to USB-B USB-A cable to LBD
      1. wtf it works

Wonderful Mirrors

Data Cable seems fine who even knows at this point. same with CMOS

  1. We opened the mirror doors per SOP (At zenith)
  2. Onkar and Jackson checked mirror doors, they dain't open correctly.
    1. The south mirror door was underneath west and east doors
      1. predicting that they did not close properly last time
    2. north door opened fully
    3. west and east doors tried to open, refused
  3. Set mirror doors to neutral
    1. This is widely regarded as an excellent move.
    2. Jackson found a piece of fabric from the center cylinder had been displaced
      1. removed the fabric, now currently in the control room, probably should reinstall with new adhesive or replace with new fabric material.
    3. SO the doors nested improperly.
    4. West and East were on top of South AGAIN
    5. So North would open, and South would be stuck AGAIINNNNN
    6. Mirror doors would be like, "Hey, something's wrong." And then nothing would happen AAAGAAAAAINNNNN
    7. HAMMER TIME - THE SEQUEL
      1. Tara Jackson, Matt, and Onkar fixed it.
      2. Removed pins from East and West
      3. Unplugged East, West and NOT SOUTH
      4. Fastened East and West open via velcro
      5. Opened North and South with switchermabob
      6. Verified that North and South opened and closed. Left them in open
      7. Manually closed East and West
      8. Closed North and South with switchermabob
      9. Plugged in East and West
      10. Verified it all opened at Zenith
      11. Prayed that it nested properly this time (probably didnt nest properly this time)
    8. Roy helped by giving us emotional support over the phone
    9. The end

Observations list:

  1. Vega for pointing
  2. Moon, big
  3. Firework galaxy (NGC 6946)
    1. probably were looking at it, no clear galactic structure
  4. M57, pretty
  5. Stephans Quintet (stefan? stepean? steven?)
  6. Uranus, moon too bright
  7. Bubble Nebula (C11), no bubble (sad)


Notes

  • Long Blue Data Line is still weird
  • South Motor is still finnicky
  • Laptop Hub may not work? Need to test with other USB devices
Open House October
Roy Prouty posted on Oct 06, 2022

Attendance 45 people 

Date & Time 10/6/2022 7:30pm

Spaces Occupied 401 Control room and Dome

Achievements  

  1. 6:00pm cleared out Control room
  2. 6:30p-7:00pm, Jackson, Onkar, and Matt cleaned out Dome (moved ladders)
  3. Attached Data Cable (both ends) to Data Computer
  4. Attached CMOS to Instrument box and connected to data cable
  5. Checked with SharpCap that CMOS was connected
  6. Roy inspected opening of Mirror Doors
    1. No issues
  7. Attempted to point at Vega
    1. Due to clouds and lack of determination, gave up
  8. Attempted to point at Moon – this was a bad idea
    1. Clouds obscured things
  9. Attempted to point at Saturn – failed
  10. Returned to Vega
    1. All clouds
    2. Stopped trying around 8:20p
  11. Slewed to Zenith
  12. Closed Mirror Doors
  13. Open House Tours
  14. Opened Mirror Doors
  15. Pointed at Vega
  16. FOUND IT
  17. Went to Jupiter
  18. Went to Moon
    1. Found Tycho
  19. Saved 50GB worth of frames, zipped and moved to Shared Drive
  20. Slewed to Zenith through DFM TCS > Movement > Offset/Zenith, Apply Zenith position & Start Slew
  21. Closed Dome Doors
  22. Moved ladders back
  23. To HOME DOME
    1. Connect ASCOM Dome Control (from Start Menu)
    2. Connect via panel
    3. Switch front panel switch to Auto Dome and un-halt motors with motor driver chassis on


Notes

  • Still don't know why mirror doors messed up last time
    • North and South open first, close last
    • East and West open last, close first
  • Connecting Data cable to data computer before CMOS seems to be correct Order of Operations