PICSARR Benchmarking

Time
20230918T1800-0000

Peoples
Obs: Roy, Tara, Onkar, Gabriel, Olivia

AstroPol: Katie, Ian, Shrey, Meyer via discord

Guest: MIKE

Places
PHYS 401, 433C, Dome

Goals

1. calibration frames with picsarr instrument

2. look at stuff

Log

1. began calibration frames

2. having issues with data drive uploading to google and also writing data from sharpcap

   1. temp solution: pause google drive syncing

   2. semi-perm solution: replace data drive with SSD for faster read/write speeds

3. TRAGEDY: FILLED UP DATA DRIVE

   1. single files are 126gb, not good

   2. temp solution: stole external SSD from astropol, using as intermediary drive

4. calibration done

5. Timing test (at 12ms)

   1. says its error is at 120 μs (this is bad I am told)

   2. Meyer says this is likely the result of another issue

      1. 1st turn down LED brightness and do a 120s series

      2. after correcting speed now it is 5.2 μs(much better)

      3. next trial after LED dimming is 114 μs data unclear

6. Time to Observe

   1. brightness:40 ,exposure:12ms, filter:g', bin:1, file .ser

   2. Slew to Vega

   3.  found in Finder Scope(FS)

   4. finding in Main Scope(MS) up exposure to 100ms

      1. guess who did not open mirror doors (its us)

   5. found vega

   6. exposure:12ms, LED:3,

   7. set up auto-guiding

   8. Take capture 240s, full frame, exposure 12μs, file name:(vega full fov)

   9. LED too bright change to 4

   10. change exposure time to 3.5s, file: .fits

   11. change exposure time to 10s, file: .fits

   12. change capture area to 1200x400, exposure:12ms, pan:48, tilt:838 , gain:200  take 240s 12ms file:vega 1200x400.ser and file:vega 1200x400.fits

   13. want left image exposition at x: 900 y:192

   14. dome decided to go 180 degree

   15. Slew to Vi Cyg 12 mag is 11.4 and exposure must be 12ms so cannot see

   16. change LED to 7 gain:500

   17. take one 2 minute capture,pan:48, tilt:848, file name:HIP 1013641200x400 400ms.ser
       
       

   18. can still see is exposure is 400 ms and LED is 4 but just barely

   19. new capture

   20. take one 2 minute capture,pan:48, tilt:848, file name:HIP 1013641200x400 12ms.ser
       
       

   21. slew to HD 212311 gain:200 LED:4 take one 4minute 12ms exposure

7. Take off PICSARR

8. Slew to m57

9. Onkar put on color cam

   1. correction: color cam already installed on tertiary scope

10. Close up time

Notes

• need data solution asap, preferably fast storage in the form of SSD if we plan on continuing to have data syncing to Google Drive

ToDo

• need observing plan ahead of time to move things along faster

• if using picsarr or similar instrument, folks should arrive sooner as it was discovered calibration of the instrument takes a long hecking time

• data storage solution

• finderscope mod plate cad (onkar knows what this is)

Data

• data drive and external SSD drive

• both should be synced to google

Weather

AT 2100h:

• 22C roof

• humidity: 40%

• cold