Changes between Version 96 and Version 97 of PublicPages/MayallZbandLegacy/NotesforObservers

Timestamp:

Feb 13, 2016 6:28:29 PM (8 years ago)

Author:

Arjun Dey

Comment:

--

PublicPages/MayallZbandLegacy/NotesforObservers

@@ -218 +218 @@
 = [8] Just before observing = 
 
-1. Start the may all-idl:1 VNC session.  This session should automatically start MUPTILES and MOSSTAT.  If it doesn't, open a terminal in the VNC session and start the automated script for updating the tile file:
-
-The FITS file listing which tiles have been completed should be updated throughout the night.
+1. Start the may all-idl:1 VNC session.  This session should automatically start MUPTILES and MOSSTAT.  
+
+If it doesn't, open a terminal in the VNC session and start the automated script for updating the tile file:
+
+1a) The FITS file listing which tiles have been completed should be updated throughout the night.
 This file is '''$MOS3_OBS/obstatus/mosaic-tiles_obstatus.fits'''.  The following IDL command
 will monitor exposures as they are taken throughout the night, automatically updating this file.
@@ -230 +232 @@
 At the end of the night, you should check the updated tile file into the svn repository.
 
-2. Start the automated script for monitoring the data quality
+1b). Start the automated script for monitoring the data quality
 
 From another terminal in the mzls account, start this running: 
@@ -244 +246 @@
 
 1. Take a zero image to ensure everything is working
-2. At start of night, check telescope pointing and zero the telescope coordinates using a bright star placed on the telescope boresight (defined as the center of the mosaic3 focal plane).  When taking the image of the bright star, make sure to create an OBJECT script with NGUI (not a TEST, because MOSSTAT will ignore it), zd filter, 1 - 5 sec exposure.  Watch for MOSSTAT to process the image and report the RA, Dec offsets.  Give these offsets to the OA with **opposite** sign.  You can take another OBJECT frame if you want to check to make sure the offset went in the right direction.
-3. Move to the beginning of the first MzLS tile position.  What position is that, you ask?  One way to find out is to run mosbot.py (see step 5 below), and look for RA, DEC in expose-1.sh in the exec/mosbot/ directory.  Tell these coordinates to the OA to move the telescope.
-4. Focus the telescope
+2. Set the focus to some approximate value based on the Truss temperature and the formula: 
+- Focus(zd) = -8400+(1.4-Ttruss)x110
+where Ttruss is in deg C
+3. At start of night, check telescope pointing and zero the telescope coordinates using a bright star placed on the telescope boresight (defined as the center of the mosaic3 focal plane).  When taking the image of the bright star, make sure to create an OBJECT script with NGUI (not a TEST, because MOSSTAT will ignore it), zd filter, 1 - 5 sec exposure.  Watch for MOSSTAT to process the image and report the RA, Dec offsets.  If mosstat fails, it could be because (a) the telescope is mis-pointed, (b) the telescope is out of focus (set the focus approx using the formula above and try again). Once you are able to determine offsets,  give these offsets to the OA with **opposite** sign.  That is, if mosstat reads "RA,Dec offsets = -15.34, 18.32", then you need to provide the OA with the offsets of +15,-18 to zero the telescope coordinates. You can take another OBJECT frame if you want to check to make sure the offset went in the right direction.
+4. Move to the beginning of the first MzLS tile position.  What position is that, you ask?  One way to find out is to run mosbot.py (see step 5 below), and look for RA, DEC in expose-1.sh in the exec/mosbot/ directory.  Tell these coordinates to the OA to move the telescope. Another way is to look at teh first entry in the ~/obsbot/pass1.json file on the mayall-idl computer - remember, it is in degrees, so you will have to divide the RA by 15. Getting within a degree is close enough, so no need to be super precise.
+5. Focus the telescope
  - create a focus script using the NGUI: exposure time 5 or 10 seconds, zd filter, -100 micron focus steps, click Midpoint to *on*, 9 exposures.
  - run the focus script from the /home/observer/exec directory 
@@ -261 +266 @@
 === Observe - all night long! ===
 
-5. From the mzls@mayall-idl window, generate the top-level observing script (tonight.sh) assuming that we have three plan files named pass1.json, etc.
+6. From the mzls@mayall-idl window, generate the top-level observing script (tonight.sh) assuming that we have three plan files named pass1.json, etc.
 {{{
    cd ~/obsbot
@@ -273 +278 @@
 Note that if you need to escape the script at some point during the night (see below), you will need to CTRL-C to stop mosbot.py and **restart** it when you are ready to start up again.  If you forget this, you will be observing tiles that you already observed earlier in the night.
 
-6. From the observer@mayall-3 xterm window, start taking exposures using the top-level observing script (tonight.sh):
+7. From the observer@mayall-3 xterm window, start taking exposures using the top-level observing script (tonight.sh):
 {{{
    cd ~/exec/mosbot
@@ -279 +284 @@
 }}}
 
-7. Start running "copilot", which is the thing that keeps a beautiful running plot of observing conditions.  From any mzls@mayall-idl window:
+8. Start running "copilot" in the mayall-idl VNC window. Copilot keeps a beautiful running plot of observing conditions.  From any mzls@mayall-idl window:
 {{{
    cd ~/obsbot
    python copilot.py
 }}}
-Whenever a new image is detected in the data directory (as defined by $MOS3_DATA), a new image is generated as ~/obsbot/recent.png .  That image can be displayed by anyone that can see this directory.  It could be displayed with continuous updating with
+
+Whenever a new image is detected in the data directory (as defined by $MOS3_DATA), a new image is generated as ~/obsbot/recent.png .  That image can also be displayed by anyone that can see this directory.  It could be displayed with continuous updating with
 {{{
    eog ~/obsbot/recent.png
 }}}
+However, running copilot automatically displays this.
 
 See [wiki:MayallZbandLegacy/NotesforObservers/Copilot]
@@ -302 +309 @@
 
 Keep an eye on the CCD and dewar temps (should be around 173C and 90C respectively)
+
+OK - you are off and running! Congratulations!!!
 
 === If you have problems ... ===