Night Log 2014-12-30

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others: Deon, Ana, Liam and Stephen.

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Clear night with mediocre seeing. Again, ridge cloud forced us to close early tonight.

Science data for:
2014-2-SCI-070 P0 RSS (Spectroscopic follow-up of type Ia supernovae discovered by DES to analyse their spectral properties)
2014-2-SCI-030 P2 RSS (x2) (Identifying new ultracompact binary star systems through their spectral characteristics)
2014-2-SCI-065 P2 SCAM (Studying the long-term behavior of classical novae after their eruptions)
2014-2-SCI-066 P3 RSS (Finding the redshift and ionization of WISE-selected QSOs)

Night Log 2014-12-29

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others: Ana, Liam, Stephen and Mrs. Potter

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Primary mirror edge sensor testing until 00:30, just as the ridge cloud arrived. No science data tonight.

Night Log 2014-12-28

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others: Stephen, Ana, Liam and Mrs. Potter

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Clear skies and poor seeing at the beginning of the night, followed by thick cloud and high relative humidity from around 11:30pm.

Science data for:
2014-2-SCI-070 P0 RSS (Spectroscopic follow-up of type Ia supernovae discovered by DES to analyse their spectral properties)
2014-2-SCI-078 P1 SCAM (Searching for exoplanets around evolved binary stars)

Night Log 2014-12-27

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others: Stephen, Ana, Liam and Mrs. Potter

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Cloudy start to the night, which suddenly cleared just before 10pm and stayed mostly clear with steadily improving seeing until the relative humidity constraints forced us to close at around 00:45.

Science data for:

2014-2-SCI-030 P2 RSS (Identifying new ultracompact binary star systems through their spectral characteristics)
2014-2-SCI-066 P3 RSS (x2) (Finding the redshift and ionization of WISE-selected QSOs)

And also worked on some more FP engineering tests.

Night Log 2014-12-26

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others: Anthony, Ana, Liam and Steve.

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Cloudy night, with a surprise rain shower in the middle.
It finally cleared up enough to open up at ~2am, but with horrible seeing. Aligned the primary mirror, started taking science data and the humidity forced us to close before we finished the block. :(

Ran some more closed-dome Fabry-Perot tests.

Night Log 2014-12-25

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others: Stephen, Ana and Liam.

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Clear night with patches of sub-arcsecond seeing. Unfortunately, temperatures steadily dropped and the relative humidity steadily rose, forcing us to close at midnight. It's <10C outside... and it's supposed to be summer!!! Brrrr! :(

Science data for:

2014-2-SCI-070 P0 RSS (Spectroscopic follow-up of type Ia supernovae discovered by DES to analyse their spectral properties)
2014-2-SCI-041 P1 RSS (Spectroscopy of star forming regions in the Magellanic Clouds)
2014-2-SCI-074 P1 SCAM (Observations of Dwarf Novae in the Large Magellanic Cloud)

Also took some tests with the Fabry-Perot etalons.

Night Log 2014-12-24

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others: Ana, Liam, Stephen and Mrs. Potter.

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** Merry Christmas!!! ** Feliz Navidad!!! **

Beautiful, warm and clear Christmas Eve with decent seeing. Tried to spot Santa through the telescope, but we didn't manage. Hopefully he has been to our houses while we weren't looking and we got some presents waiting for us!! :)

Science data for:

2014-1-MLT-002 P1 RSS (Determining the fraction of Luminous Red Galaxies in merging pairs)
2014-2-SCI-047 P1 RSS (Study of the properties of thin and thick disks of galaxy IC2531)
2014-2-SCI-003 P1 RSS (Target of opportunity for variable AGN)
2014-2-SCI-040 P1 RSS (Superwinds in luminous starburst galaxies)

Night Log 2014-12-23

SA: David
SO: Thea
Others: Luke, Emma, Encarni

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Another clear photometric night (8 in a row!) and good seeing!\

Observations done for the following programs:
2014-2-SCI-070 P0 RSS (Spectroscopic follow-up of type Ia supernovae discovered by DES to analyse their spectral properties)
2014-2-SCI-040 P1 RSS (Superwinds in luminous starburst galaxies)
2014-2-SCI-004 P1 SCAM (Dark energy and the expansion rate of the Universe from quasar monitoring.)
2014-2-COM-001 P1 BVIT (Looking for optical pulsations from pulsars)

Night Log 2014-12-22

SA: David
SO: Thea
Others: Luke (in driver's seat) and Emma

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Another clear photometric night. Some engineering time and then science programs for the following were done:
2014-2-SCI-024 P1 HRS (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds)
2014-2-SCI-040 P1 RSS (Superwinds in luminous starburst galaxies)
2014-2-SCI-068 P2 HRS (Properties of rapidily oscillating Ap star HD60435)
2014-2-SCI-005 P2 HRS (HRS spectroscopy of FU Ori Outbust Sources)

Eng tests for SAMS and BVIT.

Night Log 2014-12-21

SA: David
SO: Thea
Others: Luke and Emma (in training)

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A clear productive photometric night.

Observations completed for the following programs:
2014-1-MLT-002 P1 RSS (Determining the fraction of Luminous Red Galaxies in merging pairs)
2014-2-SCI-002 P1 HRS (The black matter probe using the interstellar gas)
2014-2-SCI-017 P1 RSS (Optical preparatory survey for Cold HI 21-cm Absorption Line Survey (CHITALS))
2014-2-SCI-052 P1 RSS (Spectroscopic exploration of S0 galaxies with extraordinary central concentrations of gas and dust.)
2014-2-SCI-063 P1 RSS (Searching for high-redshift radio-loud quasars)
2014-2-SCI-016 P2 HRS (Investigating the birth and evolution of X-ray binaries through their radial motion.)
2014-2-SCI-065 P2 SCAM (Studying the long-term behavior of classical novae after their eruptions)
2014-2-SCI-045 P3 HRS (Chemical composition determination of LBVs in the Southern Hemisphere.)
2014-2-SCI-022 P3 HRS (Anchoring the extragalactic distance scale with an LMC eclipsing binary star)

Night Log 2014-12-20

SA: David
SO: Thea
Others: Luke and Emma (in training)

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Another great night, clear & calm.

Science programs for:
2014-2-MLT-005 P0 RSS (Deriving the mass of the central super-massive black hole in the core of active galaxies)
2014-2-SCI-002 P1 HRS (x2) (The black matter probe using the interstellar gas)
2014-2-SCI-017 P1 RSS (Optical preparatory survey for Cold HI 21-cm Absorption Line Survey (CHITALS))
2014-2-SCI-032 P1 RSS (Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of Distant Star Forming Galaxies)
2014-2-SCI-074 P1 SCAM (Observations of Dwarf Novae in the Large Magellanic Cloud)
2014-2-SCI-031 P1 RSS (Redshift determination of newly confirmed galaxy clusters)

Eng test for SAMS

Night Log 2014-12-19

SA: David
SO: Thea
Others: Luke and Emma (in training)

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Another great night.
Programs done for:
2014-2-SCI-070 P0 RSS (Spectroscopic follow-up of type Ia supernovae discovered by DES to analyse their spectral properties)
2014-2-SCI-052 P1 RSS (Spectroscopic exploration of S0 galaxies with extraordinary central concentrations of gas and dust.)
2014-2-SCI-031 P1 RSS (Redshift determination of newly confirmed galaxy clusters)
2014-2-SCI-016 P2 HRS (Investigating the birth and evolution of X-ray binaries through their radial motion.)

Night Log 2014-12-18

SA: David
SO: Thea
Others: Luke (training) & Emma

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Clear night, but some technical issues.
Obtained observations for the following programs:
2014-2-SCI-002 P1 HRS (The black matter probe using the interstellar gas)
2014-2-SCI-052 P1 RSS (Spectroscopic exploration of S0 galaxies with extraordinary central concentrations of gas and dust.)

Night Log 2014-12-17

SA: David
SO: Fred
Others: Luke (in training), Emma

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Stable, clear night of good seeing.

SAMS mirror alignment testing first ~hour

Science for the following programs:
2014-2-SCI-040 (P1): Gallagher; NGC 2369 (Superwinds in luminous starburst galaxies)
2014-2-SCI-024 (P1): Miszalski; N19 (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds)
2014-2-SCI-016 (P2): Townsend; 4U 1036-56 (Investigating the birth and evolution of X-ray binaries through their radial motion)

Night Log 2014-12-16

SA: Hannah
SO: Fred
Others: David, Luke, Emma

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2014-2-SCI-024 P1 HRS (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds)
2014-2-SCI-040 P1 RSS (Superwinds in luminous starburst galaxies)

Night Log 2014-12-15

SA: Hannah
SO: Fred
Others:

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2014-2-SCI-052 P1 RSS (Spectroscopic exploration of S0 galaxies with extraordinary central concentrations of gas and dust.)
2014-2-SCI-010 P2 RSS (Spectroscopic observations of the pulsating, eclipsing binary 1SWASP J050634)
2014-2-MLT-003 P4 RSS (Study, and detailed classification, of a number of proposed very cool astronomical objects)

Wet weather RSS focus tests.

Night Log 2014-12-13

SA: Hannah
SO: Fred
Others:

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SAMS testing

Night Log 2014-12-12

SA: Hannah
SO: Fred
Others: Timmy, Hitesh (remotely)

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2014-2-SCI-059 P3 RSS (Studying Spectral Signatures of Disks and Winds in Cataclysmic Variables)
2014-2-SCI-072 P3 RSS (Identifying new narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies from a sample of ROSAT candidates)
2014-2-MLT-003 P4 RSS (Study, and detailed classification, of a number of proposed very cool astronomical objects)

Night Log 2014-12-11

SA: Hannah
SO: Fred
Others: Keith

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2014-2-SCI-004 P1 SCAM (Dark energy and the expansion rate of the Universe from quasar monitoring.)
2014-2-SCI-010 P2 RSS (Spectroscopic observations of the pulsating, eclipsing binary 1SWASP J050634)
2014-2-SCI-066 P2 RSS (Finding the redshift and ionization of WISE-selected QSOs)

Night Log 2014-12-10

SA: Hannah
SO: Fred
Others:

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Instrument testing during prohibitively high humidity.

Night Log 2014-12-09

SA: �ric
SO: Veronica
Others: Hannah, Paul, Jonathan, Amanda, SAmantha, Paulina, Fred.

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We could not observe tonight. We had technical problems at the beginning of the night, and then, weather degraded, and forced us to close for the rest of the night.

Night Log 2014-12-08

SA: �ric
SO: Veronica
Others: Paul R, Jonathan

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The first part of the night was lost to weather. We could then open and get some science data, but then, a tracked problem prevented us from observing for the last part of the night.
Data taken for:

2014-2-SCI-002 P1 HRS (x2) (The black matter probe using the interstellar gas)

Night Log 2014-12-07

SA: �ric
SO: Veronica
Others:

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Unfortunately, the whole night was lost to weather.
No data taken at all.

Night Log 2014-12-06

SA: �ric
SO: Veronica
Others:

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A productive night again. We started with some tests for the mirror, and then, we went for science.
We could get data for the following programs:

2014-2-SCI-002 P1 HRS (The black matter probe using the interstellar gas)
2014-2-SCI-010 P1 RSS (Spectroscopic observations of the pulsating, eclipsing binary 1SWASP J050634)
2014-2-SCI-016 P2 HRS (Investigating the birth and evolution of X-ray binaries through their radial motion.)
2014-2-SCI-008 P2 RSS (Understanding the Contribution of Sun-Sized Stars to the Regeneration of the Universe)
2014-2-SCI-028 P2 HRS (To determine if C enhanced Metal-poor stars without heavy element enhancement is due to binarity.)

Night Log 2014-12-05

SA: �ric
SO: Veronica
Others:

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A productive night, during which we did a lot of calibrations form ost part of the night. This is to test a new hardware that has been installed yesterday afternoon.

And then, we could obtain data for the following programs:

2014-2-SCI-010 P1 RSS (Spectroscopic observations of the pulsating, eclipsing binary 1SWASP J050634)
2014-2-SCI-008 P2 RSS (Understanding the Contribution of Sun-Sized Stars to the Regeneration of the Universe)

Night Log 2014-12-04

SA: �ric
SO: Veronica
Others:

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We used the beginning of the night to run some more engineering tests. Then, once we started science observations, we had to close because of the weather.

Night Log 2014-12-03

SA: �ric
SO: Veronica
Others:

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Despite staying closed most of the night, because of high humidity, we could do some important engineering tests for the instruments.

Night Log 2014-12-02

SA: Brent
SO: Veronica
Others: Eric, David

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High humidity and thick clouds. A lot of arc calibration frames taken tonight. No observations.

Night Log 2014-12-01

SA: Brent
SO: Veronica
Others:

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A challenging night to schedule observations with HRS offline and seeing mostly 3-4 arcsec!


Data taken for:

2014-2-SCI-066 P2 RSS (Finding the redshift and ionization of WISE-selected QSOs)
2014-2-SCI-073 P3 RSS (Monitoring of the SMC LBV S18)
2014-2-SCI-007 P3 RSS (x2) (Identifying the age of the Argus moving group using the lithium depletion boundary)

Night Log 2014-11-30

SA: Brent
SO: Thea
Others: Keith, Timmy

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A reasonably productive night but HRS offline.

Data taken for:

2014-2-SCI-041 P1 RSS (x2) (Spectroscopy of star forming regions in the Magellanic Clouds)
2014-2-SCI-010 P1 RSS (Spectroscopic observations of the pulsating, eclipsing binary 1SWASP J050634)
2014-2-SCI-054 P1 RSS (Measuring radial velocitie sin the spectrum of CAL 87)
2014-2-SCI-027 P3 RSS (x2) (Searching for high redshift quasars for the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS))