Two main problems beyond the usual intermettent guider problems due to the crowded field:
1. SISPI/Comfort display related problem: At about 09:01 UT, we encountered the same problem with the Comfort Display as Night 1 (Jun 14/15), described below:
09:00 Component DHS: Error transferring image to comfort display code 1
09:01 Component IB: Failed to open Fragment File
Accompanied by audible alarm sound like clucking chicken
I stopped the queue at this point to examine the image.
Since the image itself looked ok in kenttools, I took a zero image then restarted the queue. Then, a couple of images later:
09:04:58 Component IB - Error: missing CCD extensions for image 328355 - expected 70, got [couldn't read the rest]
09:06:11 Component IB - Error: missing CCD extensions for image 328356 - expected 70, got []
Then about 20 seconds later:
09:06:39 - OCS DECAM Interlock SISPI (GCS) is now broken
09:06:39 - OCS Interlock DECAM (SISPI) is now broken
09:06:39 - OCS - OCS not ready: monitor is not set
At about 05:08, the Telescope Operator started the process of resetting the SISPI systeem. We were back on-sky by about 05:30 and observations proceeded smoothly thereafter.
2. TCS problem requiring TCS reset: At about 10:00 UT we encountered a similar TCS problem to Night 7 (Jun 20/21).
TCS failed without an alarm or warning on the Observer console; was caught by the Telescope Operator. We were at airmass 1.75 (declination -29 degrees) at the time. Observer stopped the queue while telescope operator investigated the error. Image 328408 shows visible trailing in a similar manner to image 32760 from the previous night. This image seems to have been restarted even though the queue was stopped.
Telescope operator stowed the telescope to zenith. Since it was 06:30 local time by this point and the clouds had started to move back in, the observer elected to finish the night here.
| Total Times | Time Observed | Time Engineering | Time lost technical | Time lost weather | Time lost other | Total Program Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-06-21 | 11.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.5 |
Links
[1] mailto:rmr@astro.ucla.edu
[2] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/noao/field-collection/field-nr-prog/1608/delete?destination=print/content/enr-ctio-blanco-4-m-2014-06-21
[3] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/noao/field-collection/field-nr-prog/1608/edit?destination=print/content/enr-ctio-blanco-4-m-2014-06-21
[4] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/noao/field-collection/field-nr-prog/add/node/5841?destination=print/content/enr-ctio-blanco-4-m-2014-06-21
Generally smooth observing.
I was very impressed with every aspect of this observing run: the equipment and support were superb throughout the entire run. DECam's image quality on the 4m is pretty exquisite.