Night Log 2015-07-30

SA: Marissa
SO: Veronica
Others:

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Rain all day and sub-zero temperatures tonight.

No data taken.

Night Log 2015-07-29

SA: Marissa
SO: Veronica
Others:

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High humidity, high wind-speed and sub-zero temperatures. Completely overcast by midnight. Forecast is for snow before sunrise and rain in the day.

No data taken.

Night Log 2015-07-28

SA: Encarni
SO: Fred
Others: Diego. Johan at the beginning of the night in case of load shedding

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We had a mostly beautiful night with clear skies and good seeing, but were forced to close due to humidity at 4:30am. We had a couple of technical problems and took a couple of engineering tests, and obtained science data for:

2015-1-SCI-013 P2 HRS (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds )
2015-1-SCI-022 P3 HRS (Spectroscopy of the evolved binary star DY Cen)
2015-1-SCI-026 P3 HRS (Doppler tomography of T Tauri-type star and a search for forming planet)
2015-1-MLT-003 P4 RSS (x4) (We aim to study a number of candidate ultracool objects, which should include new brown dwarfs.)

Night Log 2015-07-27

SA: Encarni
SO: Fred
Others: Diego. E10 to help with the payload.

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Another beautiful night with slightly worse seeing than last night. We also lost about 2 hours to a technical problem, but the rest was smooth sailing!

Science data for:

2015-1-MLT-004 P0 RSS (x4) (Deriving the mass of the central super-massive black hole in the core of active galaxies)
2015-1-SCI-065 P1 RSS (FP Halpha kinematics of RESOLVE galaxies)
2015-1-SCI-018 P1 HRS (Accretion in Young Binary Star Systems)
2015-1-SCI-013 P1 HRS (x2) (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds )
2015-1-SCI-052 P2 RSS (Finding the redshift and ionization of WISE-selected QSOs)
2015-1-SCI-012 P3 RSS (x4) (Searching for high redshift quasars for the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS))
2015-1-SCI-045 P3 RSS (Searching for binaries in unusual central stars of planetary nebulae)
2015-1-SCI-005 P3 RSS (Time variability of emerging BAL QSOs.)

Night Log 2015-07-26

SA: Encarni
SO: Fred
Others: Diego. Johan and E10 to sort BMS out.

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What a gorgeous night!!!! Clear, good seeing, low wind.. we were kept busy!

Science data for:
2015-1-MLT-002 P0 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far.)
2015-1-MLT-004 P0 RSS (x3) (Deriving the mass of the central super-massive black hole in the core of active galaxies)
2015-1-SCI-065 P1 RSS (FP Halpha kinematics of RESOLVE galaxies)
2015-1-SCI-013 P1 HRS (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds )
2015-1-SCI-005 P2 RSS (x3) (Time variability of emerging BAL QSOs.)
2015-1-SCI-012 P3 RSS (x3) (Searching for high redshift quasars for the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS))

Night Log 2015-07-25

SA: Encarni
SO: Fred
Others: Diego. Johan to help with the CCAS shutter (and then the dome shutter)

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You guessed it: a very cold and humid night. But wait - the humidity dropped at 4am and we managed to get one DDT observation! :)

2015-1-DDT-003 P0 RSS (Studying an extremely luminous supernova.)

And the forecast is promising for tomorrow night, so watch this spot!

Night Log 2015-07-24

SA: Encarni
SO: Fred
Others: Diego. Johan to help with the power-cuts.

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Entire night lost to high humidity, cloud and fog. No observations possible.

Night Log 2015-07-23

SA: Encarni
SO: Fred
Others: Diego, Bruno, Luke and the KMTNet team for a visit.

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Horribly humid and sub-zero temperatures all night. Did not open.

Night Log 2015-07-22

SA: Encarni
SO: Fred
Others: Diego, Anthony. Keith for some help with CCAS at the beginning of the night.

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Our partly cloudy night with not too shabby seeing sadly turned too humid at around midnight, forcing us to close.

Despite the variable clouds, we managed to get data for:

2015-1-MLT-004 P0 RSS (Deriving the mass of the central super-massive black hole in the core of active galaxies)
2015-1-SCI-017 P3 HRS (Observations of evolved massive stars revealed with Spitzer and WISE)
2015-1-SCI-045 P3 RSS (Searching for binaries in unusual central stars of planetary nebulae)
2015-1-MLT-003 P4 RSS (We aim to study a number of candidate ultracool objects, which should include new brown dwarfs.)

Night Log 2015-07-21

SA: Marissa
SO: Veronica
Others: Enrico, Fred, Encarni (and her dad)

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Dense fog, light rain & snow.

No data taken

Night Log 2015-07-20

SA: Marissa
SO: Veronica
Others: Enrico

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Dense fog all day and night.

No data taken

Night Log 2015-07-19

SA: Marissa
SO: Veronica
Others: Enrico

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High humidity deterred us from opening until 23:00. Weather-wise it's been an incredibly strange night, characterized by massive and sudden swings in humidity. All sensors on the plateau agreed, so it wasn't the result of a faulty measurement. Finally a sudden increase in humidity (30% in minutes) forced us to close at 03:20. But considering the prediction was that high humidity would keep us closed all night, we were fortunate to have taken data for:

2015-1-DDT-003 P0 RSS (Studying an extremely luminous supernova.)
2015-1-SCI-011 P2 RSS (x2) (Searching the Milky Way for symbiotic stars)
2015-1-SCI-027 P4 RSS (Kinematics of Bulge Miras)
2015-1-MLT-003 P4 RSS (x2) (We aim to study a number of candidate ultracool objects, which should include new brown dwarfs.)

Night Log 2015-07-18

SA: Marissa
SO: Veronica
Others: Enrico

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High humidity and overcast at times.

No data taken.

Night Log 2015-07-17

SA: Marissa
SO: Veronica
Others: Enrico

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Overcast with rain in the second half of the night.

No data taken.

Night Log 2015-07-16

SA: Marissa
SO: Veronica
Others: Enrico

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Completely overcast night with occasional snow.

No data taken.

Night Log 2015-07-15

SA: Marissa
SO: Veronica
Others:

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Beautiful clear night with decent seeing and stable conditions. Data was taken for:

2015-1-SCI-005 P1 RSS (Time variability of emerging BAL QSOs.)
2015-1-SCI-023 P1 RSS (x2) (Study of the extraplanar diffuse ionized gas properties of galaxy NGC 5775)
2015-1-SCI-020 P1 RSS (Studying an unusual post-starburst radio galaxy with a high ionization gas outflow)
2015-1-SCI-048 P1 RSS (Detecting the Donor Stars in Soft X-ray Transients)
2015-1-SCI-012 P1 RSS (x2) (Searching for high redshift quasars for the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS))
2015-1-SCI-041 P1 RSS (Superwinds in luminous starburst galaxies)
2015-1-SCI-052 P2 RSS (Finding the redshift and ionization of WISE-selected QSOs)
2015-1-SCI-032 P2 HRS (Investigating the birth and evolution of X-ray binaries through their radial motion.)
2015-1-SCI-026 P3 HRS (Doppler tomography of T Tauri-type star and a search for forming planet)
2015-1-MLT-003 P4 RSS (We aim to study a number of candidate ultracool objects, which should include new brown dwarfs.)

Sadly had to reject 2 blocks due to instrument failure.

Night Log 2015-07-14

SA: Paul
SO: Thea
Others: Marissa, Enrico, Bruno and Ros for a short visit.

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- Good and stable conditions resulted in a very productive night. Had minimal technical issues. Seeing was below 1.5'' for most of the night.

- Got data for the following programs:

2014-1-MLT-003 P0 SCAM (Observe the accretion disc as a white dwarf, neutron star or black hole gobbles up a companion.)
2015-1-SCI-018 P1 HRS (Accretion in Young Binary Star Systems)
2015-1-SCI-023 P1 RSS (Study of the extraplanar diffuse ionized gas properties of galaxy NGC 5775)
2015-1-SCI-005 P1 RSS (Time variability of emerging BAL QSOs.)
2015-1-SCI-041 P1 RSS (Superwinds in luminous starburst galaxies)
2015-1-SCI-021 P1 RSS (Connecting QSO absorption line systems with the associated galaxies)
2015-1-SCI-012 P2 RSS (Searching for high redshift quasars for the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS))
2015-1-SCI-021 P2 RSS (x2) (Connecting QSO absorption line systems with the associated galaxies)
2015-1-SCI-021 P3 RSS (Connecting QSO absorption line systems with the associated galaxies)

Night Log 2015-07-13

SA: Paul
SO: Thea
Others:

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- A frustrating night, observed on the humidity limit for most of the night and had clouds regularly interrupting observations which we had to reject. Despite the poor conditions we were able to obtain data for the following programs:

2015-1-DDT-003 P0 RSS (Studying an extremely luminous supernova.)
2015-1-SCI-068 P1 RSS (Line profile variations in He 1136-2304)
2014-2-MLT-001 P2 RSS (Study of the evolution of lenticular galaxies.)
2015-1-SCI-011 P2 RSS (Searching the Milky Way for symbiotic stars)
2015-1-MLT-003 P4 RSS (x2) (We aim to study a number of candidate ultracool objects, which should include new brown dwarfs.)
2015-1-SCI-059 P4 RSS (Long term monitoring of the SMC LBV S18 and LMC sgB[e] star S134)
2015-1-SCI-062 P4 SCAM (Studying the long-term behavior of classical novae after their eruptions)

- Fun fact: the last three nights have been the coldest recorded so far this year. The average temperature for the past three days is -1.4 C.

Night Log 2015-07-12

SA: Paul
SO: Thea
Others:

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- Only managed to get two observations done at the start of the night. High humidity had us closed for most of the night. We had sub-zero temperatures the whole evening.

- Got data for:

2014-2-MLT-001 P2 RSS (Study of the evolution of lenticular galaxies.)
2015-1-SCI-011 P2 RSS (Searching the Milky Way for symbiotic stars)

Night Log 2015-07-11

SA: Paul
SO: Thea
Others:

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- We were open for a short while just after twilight but had to close due to high humidity. A serious cold front moved in earlier today. Had strong wind and rain for most of the night.

Managed to get one observation in before closing:

2015-1-SCI-017 P3 RSS (Observations of evolved massive stars revealed with Spitzer and WISE)

Night Log 2015-07-10

SA: Paul
SO: Thea
Others:

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- Managed to get some observations done tonight. Observations were cut short by high wind and cloud later on.

2015-1-MLT-004 P0 RSS (Deriving the mass of the central super-massive black hole in the core of active galaxies)
2015-1-SCI-025 P1 RSS (Trying to confirm existence of new dwarf Galaxy )
2015-1-SCI-004 P2 RSS (Study the HII regions of the Local Group galaxy NGC6822)
2015-1-SCI-009 P2 HRS (Pulsations of the Extreme Helium Star BX Cir)
2015-1-SCI-022 P3 HRS (Spectroscopy of the evolved binary star DY Cen)

Night Log 2015-07-09

SA: Paul
SO: Thea
Others:

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- Did not open due to high humidity.

Night Log 2015-07-08

SA: Paul
SO: Thea
Others: Marissa

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- Did not take any data tonight, humidity kept us closed.

Night Log 2015-07-07

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others: Paul Kotze, Enrico Kotze, Aarran Shaw

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Very high wind tonight caused us to remain closed for hours. High humidity forced us to close early.

Data taken for:

2015-1-MLT-004 P0 RSS (x2) (Deriving the mass of the central super-massive black hole in the core of active galaxies)
2015-1-SCI-005 P2 RSS (Time variability of emerging BAL QSOs.)
2015-1-SCI-003 P3 HRS (Searching for circumbinary planets)

Night Log 2015-07-06

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others: Enrico

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High humidity at the start of the night forced us to only open at 23:00. Regardless of the clouds in the early morning, data were taken for:

2015-1-MLT-002 P2 RSS (x2) (Observations of supernovae, near and far.)
2015-1-SCI-003 P3 HRS (Searching for circumbinary planets)
2015-1-SCI-062 P4 SCAM (x3) (Studying the long-term behavior of classical novae after their eruptions)
2015-1-SCI-027 P4 RSS (Kinematics of Bulge Miras)
2015-1-MLT-003 P4 RSS (x2) (We aim to study a number of candidate ultracool objects, which should include new brown dwarfs.)
2015-1-SCI-059 P4 RSS (Long term monitoring of the SMC LBV S18 and LMC sgB[e] star S134)

Night Log 2015-07-05

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others:

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Started off the night with a successful multi-wavelength campaign to simultaneously observe a BH with BVIT on SALT and two X-ray satellites (SWIFT & INTEGRAL). Fortunately the weather prediction was wrong and we had a beautiful, clear night until high humidity caught up with us at 4:30 a.m.

Data taken for:

2014-1-MLT-003 P0 BVIT (Observe the accretion disc as a white dwarf, neutron star or black hole gobbles up a companion.)
2015-1-SCI-018 P0 HRS (Accretion in Young Binary Star Systems)
2015-1-SCI-049 P0 HRS (Phase-up 26-year-old binary orbital solution for photometric monitoring campaign)
2015-1-SCI-070 P1 HRS (x2) (High resolution spectroscopic abundance measurements of RGBs in NGC 6681 (M70))
2015-1-SCI-058 P1 SCAM (Studying the long-term behavior of classical novae after their eruptions)
2015-1-SCI-055 P2 RSS (x2) (Spectroscopic classification of candidate magnetic cataclysmic variables in the CRTS)
2015-1-MLT-002 P3 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far.)
2015-1-SCI-012 P3 RSS (x3) (Searching for high redshift quasars for the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS))

Night Log 2015-07-04

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others: Enrico (our visitors Kobus & Janice)

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Happy Independence Day!

Cloudy, bright night but we did manage to do some science and many calibrations.

Science data taken for:

2015-1-SCI-009 P2 HRS (Pulsations of the Extreme Helium Star BX Cir)
2015-1-SCI-003 P3 HRS (Searching for circumbinary planets)
2015-1-SCI-045 P3 RSS (Searching for binaries in unusual central stars of planetary nebulae)
2015-1-SCI-027 P4 RSS (Kinematics of Bulge Miras)
2015-1-SCI-062 P4 SCAM (Studying the long-term behavior of classical novae after their eruptions)

Night Log 2015-07-03

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others:

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Today our beloved Darragh was laid to rest. May we find solace in continuing his legacy and by following the remarkable example he set for us all. Let us be a comfort to one another, as we journey into a future none of us ever would have wished to imagine without him at our side.

A bright, clear, extremely stable night gave us the opportunity to take data for all the following proposals:

2015-1-SCI-034 P1 RSS (Gas dynamics in NGC300 and NGC4945)
2015-1-SCI-013 P2 HRS (x4) (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds )
2015-1-SCI-011 P2 RSS (x2) (Searching the Milky Way for symbiotic stars)
2015-1-SCI-029 P2 HRS (Fingerprints of the interstellar medium in the spectra of central stars of planetary nebulae)
2015-1-SCI-056 P2 RSS (x2) (Observing spectra of Pluto as it rotates, in support of NASA's New Horizons mission.)
2015-1-SCI-032 P2 HRS (Investigating the birth and evolution of X-ray binaries through their radial motion.)
2015-1-SCI-017 P3 RSS (x2) (Observations of evolved massive stars revealed with Spitzer and WISE)
2015-1-MLT-002 P3 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far.)
2015-1-SCI-003 P3 HRS (Searching for circumbinary planets)
2015-1-SCI-027 P4 RSS (Kinematics of Bulge Miras)
2015-1-MLT-003 P4 RSS (x2) (We aim to study a number of candidate ultracool objects, which should include new brown dwarfs.)

Night Log 2015-07-02

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others:

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A clear, bright, stable night with minimal difficulties.

Data taken for:

2015-1-SCI-068 P1 RSS (Line profile variations in He 1136-2304)
2015-1-SCI-013 P2 HRS (x3) (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds )
2015-1-SCI-018 P2 HRS (Accretion in Young Binary Star Systems)
2015-1-MLT-002 P3 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far.)
2015-1-SCI-017 P3 RSS (Observations of evolved massive stars revealed with Spitzer and WISE)
2015-1-SCI-026 P3 HRS (Doppler tomography of T Tauri-type star and a search for forming planet)
2015-1-SCI-017 P3 HRS (Observations of evolved massive stars revealed with Spitzer and WISE)
2015-1-SCI-003 P3 HRS (Searching for circumbinary planets)
2015-1-MLT-003 P4 RSS (We aim to study a number of candidate ultracool objects, which should include new brown dwarfs.)

Gaps in the science queue were used to do:
- Rho-motor guidance stability test at Az~50
- 29 spectrophotometric set-ups requested for RSS observations during the month

Night Log 2015-07-01

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others:

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Clear night with a full moon.

Data taken for:

2015-1-SCI-018 P1 HRS (Accretion in Young Binary Star Systems)
2015-1-SCI-056 P2 RSS (Observing spectra of Pluto as it rotates, in support of NASA's New Horizons mission.)
2015-1-SCI-057 P2 SCAM (x2) (Rapid photomerty of mCVs with SALTICAM in slotmode)
2015-1-SCI-032 P2 HRS (Investigating the birth and evolution of X-ray binaries through their radial motion.)
2015-1-MLT-002 P3 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far.)
2015-1-SCI-022 P3 HRS (Spectroscopy of the evolved binary star DY Cen)
2015-1-SCI-059 P4 RSS (Long term monitoring of the SMC LBV S18 and LMC sgB[e] star S134)
2015-1-MLT-003 P4 RSS (x2) (We aim to study a number of candidate ultracool objects, which should include new brown dwarfs.)

ENGINEERING TEST:

Tested new Rho motor guidance stability

Night Log 2015-06-30

SA: Brent
SO: Veronica
Others: Keith early on, Marissa, Enrico, Thea till late

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A productive bright night except for last hour when the HRS guide probe malfunctioned and couldn't be recovered. Data taken for:

2015-1-SCI-013 P1 HRS (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds )
2015-1-SCI-018 P1 HRS (Accretion in Young Binary Star Systems)
2015-1-SCI-056 P2 RSS (x2) (Observing spectra of Pluto as it rotates, in support of NASA's New Horizons mission.)
2015-1-MLT-002 P3 RSS (x2) (Observations of supernovae, near and far.)
2015-1-SCI-003 P3 HRS (Searching for circumbinary planets)
2015-1-SCI-036 P3 HRS (Metal abundance of extremely metal poor candidates with high S/N and high resolution spectra.)
2015-1-SCI-034 P3 RSS (Gas dynamics in NGC300 and NGC4945)