Monday, January 31, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-30

SA: Elizabeth
SO: Veronica
Others: Rosalind

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Summary
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Entire night lost to weather

No science data taken.

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Sunday, January 30, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-29

SA: Elizabeth
SO: Veronica
Others: Rosalind

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Summary
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A mostly clear night with good seeing. We observed 4 blocks including two P0's and two lower priority.



Science data taken for:
2021-2-LSP-001 P0 HRS (Followup of Transients)
2021-2-SCI-024 P0 HRS (x3) (Study of the accretion disk in ASASSN-14ag)
2020-1-MLT-008 P3 RSS (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)
2020-1-MLT-002 P4 HRS (HRS study of long-period eclipsing binaries)

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Saturday, January 29, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-28

SA: Elizabeth
SO: Veronica
Others: Rosalind

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Summary
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A mostly clear night with variable seeing. We observed 9 blocks of mixed priority. Unfortunately, humidity forced us to close before a much awaited P0.

Science data taken for:
2021-1-MLT-002 P1 RSS (A study of the kinematics, ISM and stellar properties of MHONGOOSE galaxies.)
2021-1-MLT-005 P2 HRS (Tracing the history of extreme helium stars)
2021-1-SCI-008 P2 HRS (x2) (Study of RV Tauri stars without a circumbinary disc.)
2020-2-MLT-003 P2 HRS (Follow-up of rare SB4 discovered in Gaia-ESO, GALAH and APOGEE)
2021-1-SCI-007 P2 HRS (Probing the binarity of a sample of galactic proto-planetary nebulae)
2020-1-MLT-008 P3 RSS (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)
2020-1-MLT-002 P4 HRS (x2) (HRS study of long-period eclipsing binaries)

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Friday, January 28, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-27

SA: Elizabeth
SO: Veronica
Others: Rosalind

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Summary
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A mostly clear night with good seeing throughout. The predicted rise in humidity didn't happen after all!

We observed 7 blocks of mixed priority including a P0.

We had some trouble with HRS CDDr but managed to salvage the time and move to RSS while HRS was being fixed.

Science data taken for:
2021-1-MLT-007 P0 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far. @_sublunar_)
2021-2-MLT-001 P1 RSS (Unravelling the gas and stellar kinematics of nearby starbursts and LIRGs)
2021-2-SCI-008 P1 RSS (x2) (Probing the quasar outflows.)
2020-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (x3) (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)

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Thursday, January 27, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-26

SA: Elizabeth
SO: Veronica
Others: Rosalind

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Summary
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A good start to the night with good seeing and clear skies, but the seeing became highly variable in the second half. We closed early due to high humidity (unpredicted), but managed to observe 5 blocks of mixed priority.


Science data taken for:
2021-2-LSP-001 P0 SCAM (Followup of Transients)
2020-2-MLT-003 P3 HRS (x2) (Follow-up of rare SB4 discovered in Gaia-ESO, GALAH and APOGEE)
2020-1-MLT-002 P4 HRS (x2) (HRS study of long-period eclipsing binaries)

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Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-25

SA: Solohery
SO: Xola
Others: Jonathan, Deneys, Liz

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Summary
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Humidity forced us to close early but we did manage to observe 6 blocks of mix priority.

Science data taken for:
2020-1-MLT-002 P1 HRS (HRS study of long-period eclipsing binaries)
2020-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)
2021-1-MLT-007 P2 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far. @_sublunar_)
2021-2-SCI-016 P2 HRS (Tracing the trajectory of a bright binary star system)
2021-1-SCI-007 P3 HRS (x2) (Probing the binarity of a sample of galactic proto-planetary nebulae)

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Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-24

SA: Solohery
SO: Xola
Others:

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Summary
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We had a productive night with clear skies and moderate seeing. We observed 9 blocks of high priorities.

Science data taken for:
2021-2-LSP-001 P0 HRS (Followup of Transients)
2021-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (Followup of Transients)
2021-2-SCI-021 P1 RSS (The SAGA Survey (https://sagasurvey.org))
2021-1-MLT-001 P1 RSS (Study of central stars of circumstellar nebulae discovered with modern infrared space telescopes)
2021-1-MLT-001 P1 HRS (Study of central stars of circumstellar nebulae discovered with modern infrared space telescopes)
2020-2-SCI-042 P2 RSS (Finding young stars and their planets)
2021-2-SCI-001 P2 HRS (Spectroscopic orbits for two tidally tilted pulsators)
2021-1-MLT-005 P2 HRS (Tracing the history of extreme helium stars)
2021-2-SCI-007 P2 HRS (monitoring new roAp stars for binary companions @dlhwp)

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Monday, January 24, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-23

SA: Solohery
SO: Xola
Others:

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Summary
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Clouds are coming in and going tonight and forcing us to close less than an hour to twilight but we managed to complete 6 blocks of mixed priority.

Science data taken for:
2020-2-SCI-042 P1 RSS (Finding young stars and their planets)
2021-1-MLT-001 P1 RSS (Study of central stars of circumstellar nebulae discovered with modern infrared space telescopes)
2021-2-LSP-001 P2 RSS (Followup of Transients)
2021-2-SCI-016 P2 HRS (Tracing the trajectory of a bright binary star system)
2020-2-MLT-003 P2 HRS (Follow-up of rare SB4 discovered in Gaia-ESO, GALAH and APOGEE)
2021-2-SCI-007 P3 HRS (monitoring new roAp stars for binary companions @dlhwp)

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Sunday, January 23, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-22

SA: Solohery
SO: Xola
Others:

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Summary
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A relatively good night where 11 blocks of mixed priority were observed.

Science data taken for:
2021-2-DDT-002 P0 SCAM (Probing the circumstellar environment of SN2021acya)
2021-2-SCI-024 P0 HRS (Study of the accretion disk in ASASSN-14ag)
2020-2-SCI-042 P1 RSS (x2) (Finding young stars and their planets)
2020-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)
2021-2-LSP-001 P2 RSS (Followup of Transients)
2020-2-MLT-003 P2 HRS (x2) (Follow-up of rare SB4 discovered in Gaia-ESO, GALAH and APOGEE)
2021-1-SCI-007 P2 HRS (x2) (Probing the binarity of a sample of galactic proto-planetary nebulae)
2018-2-MLT-005 P2 RSS (Probing the winds from massive binary star supernova progenitors)

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Saturday, January 22, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-21

SA: Solohery
SO: Xola
Others: Jonathan

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Summary
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A relatively good night with reasonably stable seeing. We managed to complete 10 blocks of high priorities.

Science data taken for:
2018-2-MLT-005 P0 RSS (Probing the winds from massive binary star supernova progenitors)
2021-1-MLT-007 P0 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far. @_sublunar_)
2021-2-SCI-016 P2 HRS (Tracing the trajectory of a bright binary star system)
2020-2-SCI-042 P2 RSS (Finding young stars and their planets)
2020-2-MLT-003 P2 HRS (Follow-up of rare SB4 discovered in Gaia-ESO, GALAH and APOGEE)
2020-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (x4) (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)
2021-1-SCI-008 P3 HRS (Study of RV Tauri stars without a circumbinary disc.)

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Friday, January 21, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-20

SA: Solohery
SO: Xola
Others: Jonathan, Thea, Encarni

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Summary
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The night was lost due to unavailability of cameras for acquisition. Both SCAM and BCAM are offline.

No science data taken.

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Thursday, January 20, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-19

SA: Solohery
SO: Xola
Others: Jonathan

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Summary
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A night with clear skies and stable seeing. We managed to observe a large number of higher priority blocks tonight.


Science data taken for:
2021-2-LSP-001 P2 RSS (Followup of Transients)
2021-1-MLT-005 P2 HRS (Tracing the history of extreme helium stars)
2020-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (x5) (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)
2021-2-SCI-001 P2 HRS (Spectroscopic orbits for two tidally tilted pulsators)
2020-2-SCI-042 P2 RSS (Finding young stars and their planets)
2021-1-SCI-008 P3 HRS (Study of RV Tauri stars without a circumbinary disc.)
2021-1-MLT-005 P3 RSS (x2) (Tracing the history of extreme helium stars)
2019-1-MLT-008 P3 HRS (HRS monitoring of yellow symbiotic systems)
2021-2-SCI-027 P3 RSS (Characterizing stars that host a wide brown dwarf companion.)

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Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-18

SA: Encarni
SO: Thea
Others: Xola for handover, Deneys to check the guider prepositioning works.

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Summary
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A very productive clear night with variable seeing.


Science data taken for:
2019-1-MLT-008 P1 HRS (x2) (HRS monitoring of yellow symbiotic systems)
2020-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (x5) (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)
2021-1-MLT-007 P2 HRS (Observations of supernovae, near and far. @_sublunar_)
2021-2-SCI-016 P2 HRS (Tracing the trajectory of a bright binary star system)
2018-2-MLT-005 P2 RSS (Probing the winds from massive binary star supernova progenitors)
2021-2-LSP-001 P2 RSS (Followup of Transients)
2021-2-SCI-001 P2 HRS (Spectroscopic orbits for two tidally tilted pulsators)
2021-1-SCI-008 P3 HRS (x2) (Study of RV Tauri stars without a circumbinary disc.)
2020-2-MLT-007 P3 HRS (HRS observations of a high mass binary system.)

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Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-17

SA: Encarni
SO: Thea
Others: Danièl (for polarimetry calibrations). Deneys checking in for the changes to BCAM

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Summary
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An incredibly frustrating night. We finally got clear weather and good seeing, and unfortunately a network problem that lasted all night prevented us from taking full advantage. :(

Science data taken for:
2020-2-SCI-042 P2 RSS (Finding young stars and their planets)
2021-1-SCI-007 P2 HRS (x2) (Probing the binarity of a sample of galactic proto-planetary nebulae)
2021-1-MLT-005 P2 HRS (x3) (Tracing the history of extreme helium stars)
2021-2-SCI-028 P3 HRS (Abundance of Type II Cepheids)

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Monday, January 17, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-16

SA: Encarni
SO: Thea
Others:

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Summary
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A slow start to the night due to a technical problem with a dome sensor, and an early close due to humidity, but we still managed to observe quite a few high priority blocks.


Science data taken for:
2021-1-SCI-007 P2 HRS (Probing the binarity of a sample of galactic proto-planetary nebulae)
2020-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)
2021-2-SCI-027 P2 RSS (x2) (Characterizing stars that host a wide brown dwarf companion.)
2021-2-LSP-001 P2 RSS (Followup of Transients)
2021-2-SCI-001 P2 HRS (Spectroscopic orbits for two tidally tilted pulsators)
2021-1-MLT-005 P2 HRS (x2) (Tracing the history of extreme helium stars)
2021-2-SCI-016 P2 HRS (Tracing the trajectory of a bright binary star system)
2021-1-SCI-008 P3 HRS (x2) (Study of RV Tauri stars without a circumbinary disc.)

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Sunday, January 16, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-15

SA: Encarni
SO: Thea
Others:

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Summary
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Most of the night lost to bad weather. We only managed to open for about an hour at the end of the night.

Science data taken for:
2018-2-MLT-005 P2 RSS (Probing the winds from massive binary star supernova progenitors)
2021-2-SCI-027 P2 RSS (Characterizing stars that host a wide brown dwarf companion.)
2021-1-MLT-005 P2 HRS (x2) (Tracing the history of extreme helium stars)

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Saturday, January 15, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-14

SA: Encarni
SO: Thea
Others:

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Summary
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Lost most of the night to bad weather - only managed to open only for about an hour at the end of the night.

Science data taken for:
2019-1-MLT-008 P1 HRS (HRS monitoring of yellow symbiotic systems)

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Friday, January 14, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-13

SA: Encarni
SO: Thea
Others:

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Summary
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The humidity kept us closed until ~2:20am, when it finally dropped below the limit. After that, we had clear skies and decent seeing.


Science data taken for:
2021-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (Followup of Transients)
2021-1-MLT-005 P2 HRS (Tracing the history of extreme helium stars)
2021-1-SCI-007 P2 HRS (Probing the binarity of a sample of galactic proto-planetary nebulae)
2021-2-MLT-003 P2 RSS (Tracking Accretion Flows via BLR Emission in Changing-Look Active Galactic Nuclei)

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Thursday, January 13, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-12

SA: Encarni
SO: Thea
Others:

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Summary
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A good observing night with clear skies and mostly decent seeing, with just a couple of minor technical issues.

Science data taken for:
2021-2-SCI-011 P1 RSS (Optical followup of MALS targets.)
2021-2-MLT-005 P2 HRS (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere)
2021-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (Redshift measurements of BL Lacs for the CTA project)
2020-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (x2) (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)
2020-2-MLT-003 P2 HRS (Follow-up of rare SB4 discovered in Gaia-ESO, GALAH and APOGEE)
2021-1-MLT-007 P2 HRS (Observations of supernovae, near and far. @_sublunar_)
2021-2-SCI-019 P2 RSS (Verification of the nature of variable central stars of PNe in the LMC)
2020-2-SCI-042 P2 RSS (Finding young stars and their planets)

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Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-11

SA: Alexei
SO: Thea
Others: Janus and Denis to make all guidance systems working with BCAM. Encarni for handover

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Summary
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=> Rising humidity closed us soon after midnight. Many high priority blocks we observed before that.

Science data taken for:
2021-2-LSP-001 P2 HRS (x3) (Followup of Transients)
2021-2-SCI-007 P2 HRS (monitoring new roAp stars for binary companions @dlhwp)
2021-1-SCI-008 P2 HRS (Study of RV Tauri stars without a circumbinary disc.)
2020-2-MLT-003 P2 HRS (Follow-up of rare SB4 discovered in Gaia-ESO, GALAH and APOGEE)
2021-2-SCI-016 P2 HRS (Tracing the trajectory of a bright binary star system)

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Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-10

SA: Alexei
SO: Thea
Others:

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Summary
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=> Were closed most of the night by humidity. Finally, it drops down in one hour before twilight and we were able to observe one P1 block.

Science data taken for:
2021-2-SCI-012 P1 RSS (Study of the galaxies that produces strong MgII absorption in the spectra of the background quasars)

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Monday, January 10, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-09

SA: Alexei
SO: Thea
Others:

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Summary
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=> The total night was lost due to weather conditions.

No science data taken.

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Sunday, January 9, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-08

SA: Alexei
SO: Thea
Others:

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Summary
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=> We lost most of the night because clouds and thunderstorm. Were able to open telescope and observe four high priority blocks before twilight.

Science data taken for:
2021-2-SCI-008 P1 RSS (Probing the quasar outflows.)
2021-2-MLT-001 P1 RSS (x2) (Unravelling the gas and stellar kinematics of nearby starbursts and LIRGs)
2020-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)

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Saturday, January 8, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-07

SA: Alexei
SO: Thea
Others:

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Summary
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=> Rising humidity closed us in one and half hour after twilight. Only two blocks were observed tonight for this reason.

Science data taken for:
2020-2-MLT-009 P1 HRS (Spectroscopic monitoring of candidate white dwarf + Be star binaries.)
2021-2-MLT-003 P2 RSS (Tracking Accretion Flows via BLR Emission in Changing-Look Active Galactic Nuclei)

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Friday, January 7, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-06

SA: Alexei
SO: Thea
Others: Denis from the beginning of the night.

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Summary
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=> Unstable night with rising humidity and moderate-to-bad seeing. Were closed in half an hour before twilight. Fortunately, were able to observe many high priority blocks.

Science data taken for:
2021-1-MLT-001 P1 RSS (Study of central stars of circumstellar nebulae discovered with modern infrared space telescopes)
2021-2-LSP-001 P2 HRS (Followup of Transients)
2021-2-SCI-027 P2 RSS (Characterizing stars that host a wide brown dwarf companion.)
2021-2-SCI-011 P2 RSS (Optical followup of MALS targets.)
2021-2-SCI-008 P2 RSS (Probing the quasar outflows.)
2021-1-SCI-008 P2 HRS (Study of RV Tauri stars without a circumbinary disc.)
2021-1-SCI-022 P2 HRS (Study of the properties of an extreme-amplitude heartbeat star.)

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Thursday, January 6, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-05

SA: Alexei
SO: Thea
Others:

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Summary
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=> Unstable night with bad seeing and rising humidity. We were able to observe some amount of high priority blocks

Science data taken for:
2018-2-MLT-005 P2 RSS (Probing the winds from massive binary star supernova progenitors)
2021-2-LSP-001 P2 RSS (x2) (Followup of Transients)
2020-1-MLT-008 P3 RSS (x4) (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)
2020-2-SCI-042 P4 RSS (Finding young stars and their planets)

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Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-04

SA: Rudi
SO: Xola
Others: Thabelo and Jono

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Summary
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SCAM shutter problems prevented us from opening up tonight. TechOps were busy until 02:30 in the morning trying to fix it, but they will need to continue tomorrow during the day.

No science data taken.

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Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-03

SA: Rudi
SO: Xola
Others: Thabelo, Jono

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Summary
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Clouds at the start of the night and technical problems prevented us from opening up tonight.

No science data taken.

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Monday, January 3, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-02

SA: Rudi
SO: Xola
Others:

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Summary
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We managed to good number of blocks observed with some bad seeing towards the second half of the night. A technical problem 30m before the end of the night forced us to close up.

Science data taken for:
2021-2-SCI-022 P1 HRS (x3) (RV Follow-up of TESS Full Frame Image Planet Candidate Orbiting A Red Giant Star)
2021-2-MLT-001 P1 RSS (x2) (Unravelling the gas and stellar kinematics of nearby starbursts and LIRGs)
2021-1-SCI-007 P2 HRS (x2) (Probing the binarity of a sample of galactic proto-planetary nebulae)
2021-1-MLT-005 P2 HRS (Tracing the history of extreme helium stars)
2020-2-MLT-003 P2 HRS (Follow-up of rare SB4 discovered in Gaia-ESO, GALAH and APOGEE)
2021-2-SCI-019 P2 RSS (Verification of the nature of variable central stars of PNe in the LMC)

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Sunday, January 2, 2022

Night Log 2022-01-01

SA: Rudi
SO: Xola
Others:

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Summary
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We managed to get a few blocks observed before the humidity forced us to close.

Science data taken for:
2021-2-MLT-001 P1 RSS (Unravelling the gas and stellar kinematics of nearby starbursts and LIRGs)
2021-2-LSP-001 P2 RSS (Followup of Transients)
2021-2-SCI-027 P2 RSS (Characterizing stars that host a wide brown dwarf companion.)
2021-1-SCI-008 P2 HRS (Study of RV Tauri stars without a circumbinary disc.)
2021-2-SCI-016 P2 HRS (Tracing the trajectory of a bright binary star system)

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Saturday, January 1, 2022

Night Log 2021-12-31

SA: Rudi
SO: Xola
Others:

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Summary
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Another good night with relatively good seeing. We managed to observe for a full night and mostly high priority blocks.

Science data taken for:
2021-2-SCI-008 P1 RSS (Probing the quasar outflows.)
2021-1-MLT-002 P1 RSS (A study of the kinematics, ISM and stellar properties of MHONGOOSE galaxies.)
2021-2-MLT-001 P1 RSS (Unravelling the gas and stellar kinematics of nearby starbursts and LIRGs)
2021-2-SCI-011 P1 RSS (Optical followup of MALS targets.)
2020-2-SCI-042 P1 RSS (x2) (Finding young stars and their planets)
2021-2-SCI-001 P2 HRS (Spectroscopic orbits for two tidally tilted pulsators)
2020-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (x2) (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)
2021-1-MLT-005 P2 HRS (Tracing the history of extreme helium stars)

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