Night Log 2024-01-30

SA: Solohery
SO: Fred
Others: Danièl (pol cal), Thea & David, Lee (handover), Bryne

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Summary
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We battled again with the clouds for tonight. We managed to observe four high priorioy blocks with descent weather and great seeing conditions.

Science data taken for:
2021-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (Followup of Transients)
2023-1-MLT-008 P0 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far. @_sublunar_)
2023-2-MLT-003 P1 RSS (Investigating the polarised nature of TeV-emitting blazars)
2023-1-MLT-007 P2 RSS (SALT+Gaia survey of helium-rich hot subdwarfs)

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Night Log 2024-01-29

SA: Solohery
SO: Fred
Others: Eben, Bryne, and E10 for fold mirror

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Summary
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Night lost to weather (thick clouds) and some tech issues (fold mirror).

No science data taken.

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Night Log 2024-01-28

SA: Solohery
SO: Fred
Others:

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Summary
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We managed to observe only one block with great seeing conditions. We lost the rest of the night to thick clouds and some tech issues.

Science data taken for:
2023-1-MLT-007 P2 RSS (SALT+Gaia survey of helium-rich hot subdwarfs)

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Night Log 2024-01-27

SA: Solohery
SO: Fred
Others:

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Summary
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We managed to observe only two blocks with good seeing conditions. Thick clouds kept us closed most of the night.


Science data taken for:
2021-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (Followup of Transients)
2023-1-MLT-007 P2 RSS (SALT+Gaia survey of helium-rich hot subdwarfs)

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Night Log 2024-01-26

SA: Solohery
SO: Fred
Others: Danièl (pol cals)

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Summary
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Due to thick clouds, we open after midnight. We were able to observe a couple of blocks with moderate seeing conditions.

Science data taken for:
2019-1-MLT-008 P1 HRS (HRS monitoring of yellow symbiotic systems)
2023-2-COM-001 P1 HRS (x2) (HS pipeline observations @dlhwp)
2023-1-MLT-007 P2 RSS (x2) (SALT+Gaia survey of helium-rich hot subdwarfs)
2023-2-MLT-005 P3 HRS (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere)
2023-2-MLT-005 P3 RSS (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere)

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Night Log 2024-01-25

SA: Solohery
SO: Fred
Others: Moses, Bryne

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Summary
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Thick clouds stayed with us tonight. We only managed to observe one block.

Science data taken for:
2021-2-LSP-001 P3 RSS (Followup of Transients)

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Night Log 2024-01-24

SA: Solohery
SO: Fred
Others: Eben, Thabelo, Bryne, Tasheen

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Summary
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The telescope is back online after the tracker recovery with some adjustments and tests performed in the early evening. We were able to observe several blocks of mixed priorities under the bright full moon.


Science data taken for:
2023-1-MLT-008 P0 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far. @_sublunar_)
2023-2-COM-001 P1 HRS (x2) (HS pipeline observations @dlhwp)
2023-1-MLT-007 P2 RSS (x5) (SALT+Gaia survey of helium-rich hot subdwarfs)
2023-2-MLT-005 P3 HRS (x2) (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere)
2023-2-MLT-005 P3 RSS (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere)
2019-1-MLT-008 P3 HRS (HRS monitoring of yellow symbiotic systems)

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Night Log 2024-01-23

SA: Danièl
SO: Thea
Others: Eben and ET10 (PCON)

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Summary
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Telescope offline due to tracker issues.

No science data taken.

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Night Log 2024-01-22

SA: Danièl
SO: Thea
Others: Fred

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Summary
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Ridge cloud and humidity closed us before midnight. Most of the time was spent on low priority blocks due to poor seeing.

Science data taken for:
2023-2-COM-001 P1 HRS (HS pipeline observations @dlhwp)
2023-2-SCI-006 P4 HRS (x2) (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue)
2023-2-SCI-014 P4 RSS (Building a sample of blazar candidates)

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Night Log 2024-01-21

SA: Danièl
SO: Thea
Others: Fred

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Summary
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Humidity forced us closed early tonight, however we did manage to get a P0 block done before we closed.

Science data taken for:
2023-1-SCI-034 P0 None (Vertical gradients in stellar populations and ionized gas in edge-on galaxy disks.)
2023-2-LSP-001 P3 RSS (x5) (Spectra of ultrashort period main sequence binary stars)

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Night Log 2024-01-20

SA: Danièl
SO: Thea
Others: Eben (NIR/SCAM), ET10 (PCON)

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Summary
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Thick clouds kept s closed at the beginning of the night, but it cleared up enough to open and observe for the remainder of the night. We managed to complete 3 P0s and several other lower priority targets.

Science data taken for:
2023-2-DDT-002 P0 RSS (Late time spectrum of SN2023tsz to constrain the progenitor star of this rare type Ibn)
2021-2-LSP-001 P0 HRS (x2) (Followup of Transients)
2023-1-MLT-008 P0 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far. @_sublunar_)
2023-1-MLT-002 P0 RSS (Physics of Changing Look AGN)
2023-2-MLT-003 P1 RSS (Investigating the polarised nature of TeV-emitting blazars)
2023-2-COM-001 P1 HRS (HS pipeline observations @dlhwp)
2023-2-SCI-003 P2 HRS (Asteroseismic study of the properties of some selected massive pulsators in eclipsing binaries.)

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Night Log 2024-01-19

SA: Danièl
SO: Thea
Others: Anthony, ET10

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Summary
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Technical gremlins caused a bit of trouble tonight. Despite this we managed to complete 3 P0s and a few lower priority blocks.

Science data taken for:
2023-1-SCI-034 P0 None (Vertical gradients in stellar populations and ionized gas in edge-on galaxy disks.)
2021-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (x2) (Followup of Transients)
2023-2-MLT-003 P1 RSS (x2) (Investigating the polarised nature of TeV-emitting blazars)
2023-2-SCI-002 P1 RSS (Probing the quasar outflows.)
2023-2-SCI-024 P1 RSS (x3) (Identifying targets for follow-up BH dynamical mass measurements)
2023-2-SCI-019 P2 HRS (Monitor the spectral lines of these Be binaries.)
2023-2-SCI-006 P4 HRS (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue)

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Night Log 2024-01-18

SA: Danièl
SO: Thea
Others: Janus, Malcolm

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Summary
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Another full night of observations behind us, we also managed to observe a P0, while the rest of the night was spent on lower priority target due to poor seeing.

Science data taken for:
2023-1-SCI-034 P0 None (Vertical gradients in stellar populations and ionized gas in edge-on galaxy disks.)
2023-2-COM-001 P1 HRS (HS pipeline observations @dlhwp)
2023-2-SCI-019 P2 HRS (Monitor the spectral lines of these Be binaries.)
2023-2-SCI-006 P4 HRS (x8) (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue)

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Night Log 2024-01-17

SA: Danièl
SO: Thea
Others: Eben, Et10, Moses

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Summary
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Almost a full night of observing, however thick clouds closed us around 2 am.

Science data taken for:
2023-2-SCI-026 P0 None (Study of star formation quenching in post-starburst galaxies)
2023-2-COM-001 P1 HRS (x2) (HS pipeline observations @dlhwp)
2022-2-MLT-002 P3 HRS (x2) (Follow-up of tight stellar quadruples)
2023-2-SCI-006 P4 HRS (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue)
2023-2-MLT-005 P4 HRS (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere)
2020-2-MLT-007 P4 HRS (HRS observations of a high mass binary system.)

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Night Log 2024-01-16

SA: Moses
SO: Veronica
Others: Danièl, Tasheen, Paul, Interviewees

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Summary
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We had to close up during a P0 block and then lost the whole night due to bad weather.

No science data taken.

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Night Log 2024-01-15

SA: Moses
SO: Veronica
Others: Malcolm, Thea

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Summary
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We had clear skies tonight and managed to observe a wide range of targets, including 3 P0s.

Science data taken for:
2023-2-DDT-001 P0 None (Detect rest-frame Ha in z=0.5 OH mega-maser. )
2023-2-SCI-026 P0 None (Study of star formation quenching in post-starburst galaxies)
2021-2-LSP-001 P0 HRS (x2) (Followup of Transients)
2023-2-COM-001 P1 HRS (HS pipeline observations @dlhwp)
2023-2-SCI-018 P2 HRS (Age-dating UMa and determining new moving group members)
2023-2-SCI-003 P2 HRS (Asteroseismic study of the properties of some selected massive pulsators in eclipsing binaries.)
2022-2-MLT-002 P3 HRS (Follow-up of tight stellar quadruples)
2023-2-SCI-006 P4 HRS (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue)
2023-1-MLT-005 P4 HRS (Study of the proporties of chemically peculiar Am stars)

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Night Log 2024-01-14

SA: Moses
SO: Veronica
Others: Thabelo (remotely), Shamiel (remotely)

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Summary
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Mostly clear night with good seeing in the second half of the night. We managed to have a productive night observing blocks of mixed priorities, including a P0 and DDT.

Science data taken for:
2023-2-DDT-001 P0 None (Detect rest-frame Ha in z=0.5 OH mega-maser. )
2023-2-SCI-026 P0 None (Study of star formation quenching in post-starburst galaxies)
2023-2-COM-001 P1 HRS (HS pipeline observations @dlhwp)
2019-1-MLT-008 P2 HRS (HRS monitoring of yellow symbiotic systems)
2023-2-SCI-018 P2 HRS (x2) (Age-dating UMa and determining new moving group members)
2022-2-MLT-002 P3 HRS (x2) (Follow-up of tight stellar quadruples)
2023-2-MLT-005 P4 HRS (x2) (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere)
2023-2-SCI-006 P4 HRS (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue)

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Night Log 2024-01-13

SA: Moses
SO: Veronica
Others: Thabelo, Anthony (remotely)

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Summary
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We managed to observe a decent number of high to low priority blocks despite some thick cloud during the middle of the night and two instruments going offline.

Science data taken for:
2023-2-COM-001 P1 HRS (HS pipeline observations @dlhwp)
2023-2-SCI-003 P2 HRS (Asteroseismic study of the properties of some selected massive pulsators in eclipsing binaries.)
2019-1-MLT-008 P2 HRS (HRS monitoring of yellow symbiotic systems)
2021-2-LSP-001 P2 HRS (Followup of Transients)
2023-2-MLT-005 P3 HRS (x4) (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere)
2023-1-MLT-005 P4 HRS (x2) (Study of the proporties of chemically peculiar Am stars)

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Night Log 2024-01-12

SA: Moses
SO: Veronica
Others:

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Summary
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The weather was much better behaved tonight and we managed to observe many high to medium priority blocks despite the unavailability of RSS.

Science data taken for:
2023-2-SCI-026 P0 None (Study of star formation quenching in post-starburst galaxies)
2023-2-COM-001 P1 HRS (x2) (HS pipeline observations @dlhwp)
2019-1-MLT-008 P2 HRS (HRS monitoring of yellow symbiotic systems)
2023-2-SCI-018 P2 HRS (x3) (Age-dating UMa and determining new moving group members)
2023-2-SCI-019 P2 HRS (Monitor the spectral lines of these Be binaries.)

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Night Log 2024-01-11

SA: Moses
SO: Veronica
Others: Malcolm (remotely), Paul Booysen

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Summary
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Despite a few technical problems we managed to observe a high priority block and more NIRWALS Commissioning data, before thick clouds and humidity caused us to close.

Science data taken for:
2022-1-COM-003 P0 None (Some targets for NIR first LIght)
2023-2-SCI-019 P1 HRS (Monitor the spectral lines of these Be binaries.)

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Night Log 2024-01-10

SA: Moses
SO: Veronica
Others:

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Summary
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We only managed to observe one NIRWALS block and its telluric standard before bad weather closed us for the rest of the night (high humidity and thick cloud).

Science data taken for:
2023-2-SCI-026 P0 None (Study of star formation quenching in post-starburst galaxies)

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Night Log 2024-01-09

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others: Moses and Ana

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Summary
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Entire night lost to bad weather.


No science data taken.

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Night Log 2024-01-08

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others: Ana, Taygan. Lisa + visitors.

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Summary
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A colder clear night tonight with poor seeing. Had to close at 11:30pm due to humidity.


Science data taken for:
2023-2-COM-001 P1 HRS (HS pipeline observations @dlhwp)
2023-1-MLT-007 P3 RSS (SALT+Gaia survey of helium-rich hot subdwarfs)
2023-2-LSP-001 P3 RSS (Spectra of ultrashort period main sequence binary stars)
2023-1-MLT-005 P4 HRS (Study of the proporties of chemically peculiar Am stars)

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Night Log 2024-01-07

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others:

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Summary
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We didn't get to open tonight - first it was too cloudy, then too humid and ended up in fog. Better luck tomorrow! Took some HRS stability tests.

No science data taken.

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Night Log 2024-01-06

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others:

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Summary
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The forecast tonight was for quite a bit of cloud, but it was wrong, so we had a productive, clear, full night with mostly ok seeing!



Science data taken for:
2023-2-SCI-026 P0 None (Study of star formation quenching in post-starburst galaxies)
2023-2-SCI-022 P1 RSS (Probing magnetic field strength of cataclysmic variables stars )
2023-2-SCI-024 P1 RSS (Identifying targets for follow-up BH dynamical mass measurements)
2023-2-SCI-020 P1 RSS (Spectroscopy of candidate Lyman Contiuum leakers)
2023-2-SCI-011 P1 RSS (x2) (Revealing Physical Properties of Bright ODIN Emission Line Galaxies)
2023-2-SCI-021 P2 RSS (Spectroscopy of ultra-diffuse galaxies)
2023-2-SCI-006 P4 HRS (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue)

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Night Log 2024-01-05

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others: Ana, Stephen, Liam, Betty, Taygan

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Summary
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We had quite a bit of cloud during twilight, which cleared just in time for night-time observations. After that, we had a good productive night with variable seeing.

Science data taken for:
2023-2-COM-001 P1 HRS (HS pipeline observations @dlhwp)
2023-2-SCI-022 P1 RSS (Probing magnetic field strength of cataclysmic variables stars )
2023-2-SCI-002 P2 RSS (Probing the quasar outflows.)
2020-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (Obtaining redshifts for G4Jy sources - the brightest radio galaxies in the southern sky)
2023-2-SCI-029 P2 RSS (Edge-on Disks: Dust Distributions and Candidate Selection for Disk Heating Program)
2023-2-SCI-017 P2 RSS (Testing dust grain alignment relationship with the mineralogy in AGB star enevlopes.)
2023-2-MLT-003 P2 RSS (x2) (Investigating the polarised nature of TeV-emitting blazars)
2023-2-SCI-012 P2 HRS (Studying the vertical temperature profile of protoplanetary disc)
2023-2-SCI-018 P3 HRS (x2) (Age-dating UMa and determining new moving group members)
2023-2-MLT-005 P3 HRS (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere)

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Night Log 2024-01-04

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others: Ana

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Summary
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A beautiful and productive clear night with decent seeing! :)


Science data taken for:
2023-2-MLT-002 P1 RSS (Constraining galaxy cluster merger geometries and timescales)
2023-2-SCI-024 P1 RSS (Identifying targets for follow-up BH dynamical mass measurements)
2023-2-SCI-002 P1 RSS (Probing the quasar outflows.)
2023-2-SCI-020 P1 RSS (Spectroscopy of candidate Lyman Contiuum leakers)
2023-2-MLT-003 P1 RSS (x2) (Investigating the polarised nature of TeV-emitting blazars)
2023-2-SCI-022 P1 RSS (Probing magnetic field strength of cataclysmic variables stars )
2023-2-SCI-018 P1 HRS (Age-dating UMa and determining new moving group members)
2018-1-MLT-004 P1 SCAM (Dark energy and the expansion rate of the Universe from quasar monitoring.)
2023-2-SCI-017 P2 RSS (Testing dust grain alignment relationship with the mineralogy in AGB star enevlopes.)
2023-2-SCI-029 P2 RSS (Edge-on Disks: Dust Distributions and Candidate Selection for Disk Heating Program)

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Night Log 2024-01-03

SA: Encarni
SO: Veronica
Others: Cecily (ergonomist), Ana, Deon.

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Summary
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A beautiful clear night tonight with high humidity and poor seeing. Closed early, just after 1am, to humidity.



Science data taken for:
2023-2-COM-001 P1 HRS (HS pipeline observations @dlhwp)
2023-2-SCI-022 P1 RSS (Probing magnetic field strength of cataclysmic variables stars )
2023-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far. @_sublunar_)
2023-2-MLT-003 P2 RSS (x2) (Investigating the polarised nature of TeV-emitting blazars)
2023-2-SCI-014 P4 RSS (Building a sample of blazar candidates)

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Night Log 2024-01-02

SA: Rudi
SO: Thea
Others: Petri + family, Encarni + family, Cecily+family, Wimpie

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Summary
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Almost a full night of observing. A small tech issue that was resolved quickly and some clouds in the middle of the night took a little time away from a full night of observing.

Science data taken for:
2023-2-SCI-002 P1 RSS (Probing the quasar outflows.)
2023-2-SCI-010 P1 RSS (x3) (Ages of Stars in Galactic Wrinkles)
2023-2-SCI-022 P1 RSS (Probing magnetic field strength of cataclysmic variables stars )
2023-1-MLT-004 P1 RSS (Probing a disc galaxy assembly history)
2023-2-SCI-019 P2 HRS (Monitor the spectral lines of these Be binaries.)
2023-2-MLT-005 P3 HRS (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere)
2023-2-LSP-001 P3 RSS (Spectra of ultrashort period main sequence binary stars)
2023-2-SCI-006 P4 HRS (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue)

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Night Log 2024-01-01

SA: Rudi
SO: Thea
Others:

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Summary
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We managed to squeeze in one block before the humidity forced us to close.

Science data taken for:
2023-2-SCI-019 P1 HRS (Monitor the spectral lines of these Be binaries.)

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Night Log 2023-12-31

SA: Rudi
SO: Thea
Others:

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Summary
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Another night with no observing due to high humidity and ridge cloud.

No science data taken.

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