Night Log 2016-11-29

SA: Marissa
SO: Fred
Others: Alexei for handover. Ivan Katkov. Enrico. Petri & the Chinese delegation.

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Much excitement with the Chinese delegation visiting tonight. A clear night with variable seeing resulted in us taking data for:
2016-2-COM-001 P1 RSS (Polarimetry test proposal)
2016-1-MLT-008 P1 RSS (Redshift measurements of distant massive ACT galaxy clusters)
2016-2-SCI-024 P1 SCAM (Dark energy and the expansion rate of the Universe from quasar monitoring.)
2016-2-LSP-001 P2 RSS (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)
2016-1-MLT-006 P2 HRS (Orbital period search of possible binary system)
2016-1-MLT-002 P3 HRS (Analysis of metallicity gradient and local chemical composition heterogeneity in the Galactic disk)

Night Log 2016-11-28

SA: Marissa
SO: Fred
Others: Enrico

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Back on sky after the technical team replaced the burst air supply pipe today. The night was mostly clear the first half and cloudy the second.

Data taken for:
2016-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)
2016-1-MLT-006 P2 HRS (Orbital period search of possible binary system)
2016-2-SCI-038 P2 RSS (x2) (Identifying galaxies in massive clusters in the early Universe)

Night Log 2016-11-27

SA: Marissa
SO: Fred
Others: Enrico. Nicola & Damiano visiting

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At 20:30 a ToO was submitted, which we observed successfully. Shortly thereafter a pipe burst in our pressurized air supply. The technicians heroically tried to patch it up, but unfortunately the problem could not be fixed tonight.

Data taken for:
2016-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)

Night Log 2016-11-26

SA: Marissa
SO: Fred
Others: Enrico

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Clear night with marginal seeing and quite a few technical hiccups.

Data taken for:
2016-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (x2) (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)
2016-2-SCI-036 P1 RSS (Measuring the distance to low surface brightness galaxies)
2016-2-SCI-038 P2 RSS (Identifying galaxies in massive clusters in the early Universe)
2016-2-SCI-009 P2 RSS (Spectroscopy of K2 White Dwarfs)
2016-2-SCI-017 P2 RSS (x3) (Searching for high redshift quasars for the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS))
2016-2-SCI-008 P3 HRS (Analyzing chemically peculiar subdwarfs and searching for the heavy-metal stars. )

Night Log 2016-11-25

SA: Marissa
SO: Fred
Others: Enrico

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Variable seeing during a mostly clear night, which ended somewhat cloudy.

Data taken for:
2016-2-COM-001 P0 RSS (x2) (Polarimetry test proposal)
2016-1-MLT-007 P0 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far.)
2016-2-SCI-009 P2 RSS (x2) (Spectroscopy of K2 White Dwarfs)
2016-1-MLT-007 P3 HRS (Observations of supernovae, near and far.)
2016-2-SCI-034 P3 HRS (Searching for evolved binary stars with long orbital periods)
2016-2-SCI-026 P3 RSS (Search for new symbiotic stars)
2016-1-MLT-002 P3 HRS (Analysis of metallicity gradient and local chemical composition heterogeneity in the Galactic disk)
2016-2-SCI-015 P3 RSS ( Spectral classification of pulsting stars.)

Night Log 2016-11-24

SA: Marissa
SO: Fred
Others: Enrico

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Happy Thanksgiving! Scattered clouds and marginal seeing limited our options, but we took data for:

2016-1-MLT-007 P0 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far.)
2016-2-SCI-015 P1 RSS ( Spectral classification of pulsting stars.)
2016-2-LSP-001 P2 RSS (x2) (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)
2016-2-SCI-039 P2 HRS (Study of evolution in outflows from outburst)
2016-2-SCI-055 P2 HRS (Measuring the spin of Black Hole progenitors in WR+O binaries.)
2016-2-SCI-007 P4 RSS (Looking at chromospheric emission in stars which host exoplanets)

Night Log 2016-11-23

SA: Marissa
SO: Fred
Others: Enrico

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Most of the night lost to weather.

Data taken for:
2016-2-LSP-001 P2 HRS (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)

Night Log 2016-11-22

SA: �ric
SO: Fred
Others:

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Entire night lost to weather. It rained at the beginning of the night, and the weather stayed cloudy all night long.
But we took advantage of not being able to do any science to take a lot of calibrations for all our instruments.

Night Log 2016-11-21

SA: �ric
SO: Veronica
Others:

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A long and productive night. We closed 30mn before the end of the night when the weather conditions worsened.
We have managed to get data for :
2016-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (x3) (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)
2015-2-MLT-006 P1 RSS (x2) (Characterising Strong Gravitational Lensing systems)
2016-2-SCI-038 P2 RSS (Identifying galaxies in massive clusters in the early Universe)
2016-2-SCI-046 P4 RSS (Monitoring the X-ray bright sgB[e] stars in Magellanic Clouds cc. @astro_Liz)

Night Log 2016-11-20

SA: �ric
SO: Veronica
Others:

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Whole night lost to weather.

Night Log 2016-11-19

SA: �ric
SO: Veronica
Others:

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A productive night, until 1h before the twilight, where the clouds forced us to close.
We could get data for:

2016-2-SCI-043 P0 RSS (SALT spectroscopic follow-up of type Ia supernovae for investigations of the nature of dark energy)
2016-2-SCI-002 P1 HRS (x2) (High resolution spectroscopic abundance measurements of RGBs in NGC 6584 and NGC 7099)
2016-2-COM-001 P1 RSS (Polarimetry test proposal)
2016-2-SCI-055 P2 HRS (Measuring the spin of Black Hole progenitors in WR+O binaries.)
2016-2-SCI-038 P2 RSS (Identifying galaxies in massive clusters in the early Universe)

Night Log 2016-11-18

SA: �ric
SO: Veronica
Others:

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A productive night, that went smoothly with no technical problem and a nice cooperative weather.
We could obtain data for the following programs:

2015-2-MLT-006 P1 RSS (x2) (Characterising Strong Gravitational Lensing systems)
2016-2-COM-001 P1 RSS (x2) (Polarimetry test proposal)
2016-2-SCI-019 P1 RSS (Measuring Galaxy Kinematics For Construction of the Velocity Function)
2016-2-SCI-038 P2 RSS (Identifying galaxies in massive clusters in the early Universe)
2016-2-SCI-017 P2 RSS (Searching for high redshift quasars for the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS))
2016-1-MLT-006 P2 HRS (Orbital period search of possible binary system)
2016-2-SCI-055 P2 HRS (Measuring the spin of Black Hole progenitors in WR+O binaries.)

Night Log 2016-11-17

SA: �ric
SO: Veronica
Others: Petri and journalists from Finland

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Whole night lost to bad weather.

Night Log 2016-11-16

SA: �ric
SO: Veronica
Others: Petri

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the night began with extremely good conditions, but around 1 AM, humidity forced us to close.
We obtained data for the following programs:
2016-2-COM-001 P1 RSS (Polarimetry test proposal)
2016-1-MLT-007 P2 HRS (Observations of supernovae, near and far.)
2016-2-SCI-026 P3 RSS (x3) (Search for new symbiotic stars)

Night Log 2016-11-15

SA: Rosalind
SO: Veronica
Others: Eric for handover.

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A lovely problem-free night with good stable seeing!

Data taken for:

2016-1-MLT-006 P2 HRS (Orbital period search of possible binary system)
2016-2-SCI-016 P2 HRS (High resolution observations of a pulsating planet host star to constrain the age of the system.)
2016-1-MLT-007 P2 HRS (Observations of supernovae, near and far.)
2016-2-SCI-039 P3 HRS (Study of evolution in outflows from outburst)
2016-2-SCI-030 P3 RSS (Characterization of potential pulsating compact objects for the TESS mission)
2016-2-SCI-034 P3 HRS (x2) (Searching for evolved binary stars with long orbital periods)
2016-2-SCI-056 P4 HRS (The search for Black Holes in binaries that will eventually merge.)

Night Log 2016-11-14

SA: Rosalind
SO: Veronica
Others: Hitesh, John, Petri, Chris, Ockert, Steve C., Lizette, John, Lisa and members of the board, Marissa, Enrico and Fred

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A clear bright night with a visit from the SALT board. Poor seeing and bright moon, so lots of short blocks.

Data taken for:
2016-2-SCI-026 P2 (x2), P3 RSS (Search for new symbiotic stars)
2016-2-SCI-030 P3, P4 (x5) RSS (Characterization of potential pulsating compact objects for the TESS mission)
2016-2-SCI-052 P3 RSS (x3) (Observing edge on BeXRBs in the Magellanic Clouds- PI: @astro_Liz)
2016-2-SCI-046 P4 RSS (x2) (Monitoring the X-ray bright sgB[e] stars in Magellanic Clouds cc. @astro_Liz)
2016-2-SCI-056 P4 HRS (The search for Black Holes in binaries that will eventually merge.)

Night Log 2016-11-13

SA: Rosalind
SO: Veronica
Others: Hitesh, John, Chris, Marissa, Enrico and Fred

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Similar to previous nights this week, we lost the last few hours to high humidity. Some technical problems with both HRS and RSS tonight.

Data taken for:
2016-2-SCI-003 P1 HRS (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds)
2016-2-LSP-001 P2 RSS (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)
2016-2-SCI-039 P2 HRS (Study of evolution in outflows from outburst)

Night Log 2016-11-12

SA: Rosalind
SO: Veronica
Others: Fred, Marissa and Enrico briefly

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A productive start to the night with reasonable seeing. We fitted in two P0s but closed for high humidity soon after midnight again.

Data taken for:
2016-1-MLT-007 P0 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far)
2016-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)
2016-2-SCI-026 P2 RSS (Search for new symbiotic stars)
2016-1-MLT-007 P2 HRS (Observations of supernovae, near and far.)
2016-2-SCI-007 P3 RSS (Looking at chromospheric emission in stars which host exoplanets)

Night Log 2016-11-11

SA: Rosalind
SO: Veronica
Others: Fred, Marissa, Enrico, Vanessa and Naomi visited.

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A productive first half of the night, but unfortunately we lost the rest of the night to high humidity.

Data taken for:
2016-2-SCI-002 P1 HRS (High resolution spectroscopic abundance measurements of RGBs in NGC 6584 and NGC 7099)
2016-2-SCI-026 P2 RSS (x4) (Search for new symbiotic stars)

Night Log 2016-11-10

SA: Rosalind
SO: Veronica
Others:

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Clear with variable seeing at the start of the night, but most of the night lost due to cloudy weather. We did the autocollimator stray light test after closing.

Data taken for:

2016-2-LSP-001 P2 HRS (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)
2016-2-SCI-046 P4 RSS (Monitoring the X-ray bright sgB[e] stars in Magellanic Clouds cc. @astro_Liz)
2016-2-SCI-030 P4 RSS (Characterization of potential pulsating compact objects for the TESS mission)

Night Log 2016-11-09

SA: Rosalind
SO: Veronica
Others: Marissa, Fred & Enrico in between TimDimm work

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A good, mostly clear night, with the last hour lost to weather.

Data taken for:
2016-2-SCI-041 P1 RSS (x4) (Spectral mapping the dynamics and excitation of the largest embedded SMC Super Bubble)
2016-2-SCI-003 P1 HRS (x3) (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds)
2016-2-LSP-001 P2 RSS (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)
2016-2-SCI-055 P2 HRS (Measuring the spin of Black Hole progenitors in WR+O binaries.)

Night Log 2016-11-08

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others: Ros (for handover). Enrico.

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Thick cloud-cover all day and most of the night. When it finally cleared, it was a beautiful night with very good seeing toward the end. It gave us the opportunity to do both P0s that were in the queue for tonight.

Data taken for:
2016-2-SCI-032 P0 RSS (Multiwavelength study of the AGN)
2016-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)
2016-2-SCI-003 P1 HRS (x2) (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds)

Night Log 2016-11-07

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others: Enrico

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A clear night with good seeing was put to productive use.

Data taken for:
2016-2-SCI-032 P0 RSS (Multiwavelength study of the AGN)
2016-2-SCI-003 P1 HRS (x10) (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds)
2016-2-SCI-055 P2 HRS (Measuring the spin of Black Hole progenitors in WR+O binaries.)

Night Log 2016-11-06

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others: Enrico

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A beautiful, mostly clear night, but the seeing got away from us in the second half. Still, we had a productive night.

Data taken for:
2016-2-SCI-053 P0 RSS (Classification of possible supernovae)
2016-2-SCI-032 P0 RSS (Multiwavelength study of the AGN)
2016-2-SCI-055 P1 HRS (Measuring the spin of Black Hole progenitors in WR+O binaries.)
2016-2-SCI-019 P1 RSS (Measuring Galaxy Kinematics For Construction of the Velocity Function)
2016-2-SCI-003 P1 HRS (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds)
2016-2-SCI-009 P2 RSS (Spectroscopy of K2 White Dwarfs)
2016-2-SCI-008 P2 HRS (x2) (Analyzing chemically peculiar subdwarfs and searching for the heavy-metal stars. )
2016-2-SCI-015 P3 RSS (x3) ( Spectral classification of pulsting stars.)
2016-2-SCI-030 P3 RSS (x6) (Characterization of potential pulsating compact objects for the TESS mission)
2016-2-SCI-034 P3 HRS (Searching for evolved binary stars with long orbital periods)

Night Log 2016-11-05

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others: Enrico, David dB, Visitors (Karin, Nick & Simone Venter)

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The thick cloud cover of the afternoon cleared up just in time for Astronomical twilight, but the seeing was poor all night. Closed early for ridge cloud.

Data taken for:
2016-2-SCI-009 P2 RSS (Spectroscopy of K2 White Dwarfs)
2016-2-SCI-055 P2 HRS (Measuring the spin of Black Hole progenitors in WR+O binaries.)
2016-2-SCI-030 P3 RSS (x2) (Characterization of potential pulsating compact objects for the TESS mission)
2016-2-SCI-052 P3 RSS (Observing edge on BeXRBs in the Magellanic Clouds- PI: @astro_Liz)
2016-2-SCI-015 P3 RSS (x3) ( Spectral classification of pulsting stars.)
2016-2-SCI-046 P4 RSS (Monitoring the X-ray bright sgB[e] stars in Magellanic Clouds cc. @astro_Liz)
2016-2-LSP-001 P4 HRS (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)

Night Log 2016-11-04

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others: Enrico

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Night with thin high clouds that ended in high humidity.

Data taken for:
2016-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)
2016-2-SCI-055 P1 HRS (Measuring the spin of Black Hole progenitors in WR+O binaries.)
2016-2-SCI-003 P1 HRS (x3) (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds)
2016-2-SCI-009 P2 RSS (Spectroscopy of K2 White Dwarfs)

Night Log 2016-11-03

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others: Enrico. Steve Crawford, Blaine Lomberg

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A windy night with mostly thin cloud overhead.

Data taken for:
2016-2-SCI-019 P1 RSS (Measuring Galaxy Kinematics For Construction of the Velocity Function)
2016-2-SCI-003 P1 HRS (Evolved binaries in the Magellanic Clouds)
2016-2-SCI-007 P1 RSS (Looking at chromospheric emission in stars which host exoplanets)
2016-2-SCI-055 P1 HRS (x2) (Measuring the spin of Black Hole progenitors in WR+O binaries.)
2016-2-MLT-005 P1 HRS (Investigating the chemical composition of the bright star Beta Pic with it's circumstellar disk )
2016-2-SCI-015 P3 RSS (x2) (Spectral classification of pulsating stars.)

Night Log 2016-11-02

SA: Marissa
SO: Thea
Others: Enrico. Steve Crawford, Blaine Lomberg

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A warm, cloudy night with some technical difficulties.

Nevertheless, data were taken for:
2016-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (x2) (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)
2016-2-SCI-009 P2 RSS (Spectroscopy of K2 White Dwarfs)
2016-2-SCI-030 P3 RSS (x5) (Characterization of potential pulsating compact objects for the TESS mission)
2016-2-SCI-052 P3 RSS (x2) (Observing edge on BeXRBs in the Magellanic Clouds- PI: @astro_Liz)
2016-2-SCI-007 P3 RSS (Looking at chromospheric emission in stars which host exoplanets)
2016-2-SCI-015 P3 RSS ( Spectral classification of pulsting stars.)

Night Log 2016-11-01

SA: Alexei
SO: Thea
Others: Tamara for a while.

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=> Very unstable night with clouds and rising humidity which closed us finally. Moderate seeing during most of the night.

=> Data were taken for programs:
2016-2-LSP-001 P1 RSS (Observing optical counterparts of transient objects)
2016-2-SCI-044 P1 RSS (Kinemayics of HII shells in the SMC Wing.)
2016-2-SCI-044 P2 RSS (Kinemayics of HII shells in the SMC Wing.)
2016-2-SCI-052 P3 RSS (Observing edge on BeXRBs in the Magellanic Clouds- PI: @astro_Liz)

Night Log 2016-10-31

SA: Alexei
SO: Thea
Others: Tamara for a while

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=> Very stable night with good and very good seeing.

=> Data were taken for programs:
2016-1-SCI-018 P0 RSS (SALT spectroscopic follow-up of type Ia supernovae for investigations of the nature of dark energy)
2016-2-SCI-008 P1 HRS (Analyzing chemically peculiar subdwarfs and searching for the heavy-metal stars. )
2016-1-MLT-005 P1 RSS (Multi-slit spectroscopy of edge-on galaxies)
2016-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (Redshift measurements of distant massive ACT galaxy clusters)
2016-1-MLT-010 P2 RSS (Follow up observations of transient sources)
2016-1-SCI-029 P2 HRS (x3) (Probing Supernovae Chemical Yields with Magellanic Cloud B-type Stars)