Night Log 2026-08-04

SA: Lee SO: Austun Others: Moses & Fred ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We lost the best part of the night to thick cloud, but that cleared out shortly after 2am allowing us to open up. The rest of the night was smooth and uneventful. Science data taken for: 2026-1-SCI-006 P1 RSS (Longslit spectroscopic observations of the Cosmic Ammonite gravitational lens) 2024-2-LSP-002 P2 RSS (Pan-African AGN survey using SALT/IFS: tracing the properties of AGN and their host galaxies) 2026-1-SCI-002 P2 HRS (x2) (detached eclipsing binaries for PLATO mission) 2023-2-MLT-005 P4 RSS (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-08-03

SA: Lee SO: Austun Others: Thabelo ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Another good night for us tonight with no technical issues and only a little weather downtime at the end of the night. We observed several blocks in stable but modest seeing. The IQ was generally fine, but the sub-par seeing may have hidden some of the issues we saw last night. Science data taken for: 2024-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (Followup of Transients) 2026-1-SCI-015 P2 RSS (x3) (Investigation of activity among main-belt objects) 2026-1-MLT-008 P2 RSS (Studying nearby starburst galaxies and LIRGs with the SALT IFU) 2026-1-MLT-001 P3 HRS (Ovservations of ssrAp stars) 2025-2-MLT-012 P3 HRS (Search for binary stars which may form planetary nebulae.) 2025-2-MLT-013 P3 RSS (Searching for double hydrogen-deficient stars) 2026-1-MLT-006 P3 RSS (x3) (Search for new Galactic symbiotic stars) 2023-2-MLT-005 P4 RSS (x3) (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-08-02

SA: Lee SO: Veronica Others: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yet another full night with clear skies and decent seeing. Our IQ was not great tonight but we completed another 16 blocks of mixed priority. Science data taken for: 2026-1-DDT-005 P1 RSS (DDT SN2007it) 2026-1-SCI-006 P1 RSS (Longslit spectroscopic observations of the Cosmic Ammonite gravitational lens) 2024-2-LSP-001 P1 RSS (x2) (Followup of Transients) 2026-1-SCI-002 P1 HRS (detached eclipsing binaries for PLATO mission) 2025-2-MLT-012 P2 HRS (Search for binary stars which may form planetary nebulae.) 2026-1-SCI-001 P2 HRS (Tracing evolution of recent stellar merger remnants) 2026-1-SCI-004 P3 HRS (Studying the variable stellar winds of Wolf-Rayet stars) 2026-1-MLT-003 P3 RSS (x2) (RSS longslit observations of Hickson Compact Groups) 2026-1-MLT-006 P3 RSS (Search for new Galactic symbiotic stars) 2024-2-MLT-001 P4 HRS (Spectroscopy of compact heirarchial triples) 2026-1-SCI-018 P4 RSS (Measuring distances to the largest known radio galaxies to understand how black hole jets grow.) 2025-2-LSP-001 P4 HRS (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue) 2023-2-MLT-005 P4 RSS (x2) (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-08-01

SA: Lee SO: Veronica Others: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Another full night in which we completed 17 blocks. The sky was clearer than last night but the seeing was a little more variable. No technical issues. Science data taken for: 2024-2-LSP-001 P0 HRS (Followup of Transients) 2024-2-LSP-001 P1 RSS (Followup of Transients) 2026-1-MLT-006 P3 RSS (Search for new Galactic symbiotic stars) 2024-2-MLT-001 P3 HRS (Spectroscopy of compact heirarchial triples) 2023-2-MLT-005 P3 HRS (x2) (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere) 2025-2-MLT-013 P3 RSS (Searching for double hydrogen-deficient stars) 2024-1-MLT-010 P3 HRS (x2) (Stellar Characterisation of Ariel mission targets: derivation of N and O abundances) 2026-1-MLT-001 P4 HRS (x3) (Ovservations of ssrAp stars) 2026-1-MLT-007 P4 RSS (Spectroscopic study of BLAP candidates) 2023-2-MLT-005 P4 RSS (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere) 2025-2-LSP-001 P4 HRS (x3) (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-07-31

SA: Lee SO: Veronica Others: Nico (Dimm) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We marked the mid-point of the semester with a productive night and only minor downtime. The bright moon and thin cloud meant we stuck to mostly lower priority blocks, though a handful of P0-2 blocks found their way into the queue. A total of 20 blocks were completed. Science data taken for: 2024-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (Followup of Transients) 2026-1-SCI-020 P1 RSS (Finding presence of Supermassive black hole binaries in quasars) 2026-1-COM-001 P1 HRS (HRS HS Commissioning ) 2025-2-MLT-013 P2 RSS (x3) (Searching for double hydrogen-deficient stars) 2025-2-MLT-004 P3 HRS (Radial Velocity Monitoring and Atmospheric Parameters Study of Yellow Symbiotic Giants) 2025-2-MLT-012 P3 HRS (x2) (Search for binary stars which may form planetary nebulae.) 2026-1-MLT-006 P3 RSS (Search for new Galactic symbiotic stars) 2026-1-SCI-004 P3 HRS (Studying the variable stellar winds of Wolf-Rayet stars) 2024-1-MLT-010 P3 HRS (x2) (Stellar Characterisation of Ariel mission targets: derivation of N and O abundances) 2026-1-MLT-002 P3 HRS (HRS-MR spectra of Classical Cepheids ) 2025-2-LSP-001 P4 HRS (x5) (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue) 2023-2-MLT-005 P4 RSS (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-07-30

SA: Lee SO: Veronica Others: Dev, Nico, Thabelo (for mirror) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ What a deeply frustrating night! We battled with the mirror for nearly 6 hours before starting observations. The battle then shifted to variable thin/thick cloud affecting almost every exposure. Our one saving grace was good seeing and good IQ after the alignment. We completed 10 blocks, including a P0. Science data taken for: 2024-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (Followup of Transients) 2026-1-COM-001 P1 HRS (HRS HS Commissioning ) 2025-2-MLT-013 P3 RSS (Searching for double hydrogen-deficient stars) 2024-2-MLT-001 P3 HRS (Spectroscopy of compact heirarchial triples) 2026-1-MLT-006 P3 RSS (Search for new Galactic symbiotic stars) 2025-2-LSP-001 P4 HRS (x5) (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-07-29

SA: Lee SO: Veronica Others: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Entire night lost to weather. No science data taken. ------------------------------------------------------------------------