SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: Zwido & Austun ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Despite having some periods when there were no blocks in the queue, we managed to observe many blocks of different priorities. Science data taken for: 2024-2-COM-002 P1 RSS (x3) (This is a commissioning proposal) 2025-2-MLT-011 P1 RSS (Obtaining dynamical information and constraining galaxy cluster merger geometries and timescales) 2026-1-MLT-008 P1 RSS (Studying nearby starburst galaxies and LIRGs with the SALT IFU) 2025-2-MLT-005 P2 RSS (IFU observations of nearby MHONGOOSE galaxies) 2026-1-SCI-015 P2 RSS (x2) (Investigation of activity among main-belt objects) 2024-2-LSP-002 P2 RSS (x2) (Pan-African AGN survey using SALT/IFS: tracing the properties of AGN and their host galaxies) 2025-2-MLT-006 P2 RSS (Study of galaxy properties of galaxy group HIPASS 1059-09) 2026-1-MLT-003 P3 RSS (RSS longslit observations of Hickson Compact Groups) 2025-1-MLT-004 P4 RSS (x3) (Near-UV and visible spectroscopy of the primitive asteroids) 2026-1-MLT-006 P4 RSS (x6) (Search for new Galactic symbiotic stars) ------------------------------------------------------------------------
SALT Astronomy
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Night Log 2026-08-17
SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We had another full night with stable conditions. We managed to observe many blocks of different priorities. Science data taken for: 2024-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (x3) (Followup of Transients) 2026-1-SCI-025 P1 RSS (We are probing the large scale outflows in bright quasars through absorption spectroscopy.) 2024-2-COM-002 P1 RSS (x3) (This is a commissioning proposal) 2025-2-MLT-011 P1 RSS (Obtaining dynamical information and constraining galaxy cluster merger geometries and timescales) 2024-2-LSP-002 P3 RSS (x4) (Pan-African AGN survey using SALT/IFS: tracing the properties of AGN and their host galaxies) 2026-1-MLT-006 P4 RSS (x5) (Search for new Galactic symbiotic stars) ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, August 17, 2026
Night Log 2026-08-16
SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: E10 for HRS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We had a good night with stable conditions. We managed to observe many high priority blocks. Science data taken for: 2024-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (x3) (Followup of Transients) 2026-1-MLT-008 P0 RSS (Studying nearby starburst galaxies and LIRGs with the SALT IFU) 2025-2-MLT-006 P1 RSS (Study of galaxy properties of galaxy group HIPASS 1059-09) 2025-2-MLT-011 P1 RSS (Obtaining dynamical information and constraining galaxy cluster merger geometries and timescales) 2024-2-COM-002 P1 RSS (This is a commissioning proposal) 2025-2-MLT-004 P2 HRS (Radial Velocity Monitoring and Atmospheric Parameters Study of Yellow Symbiotic Giants) 2026-1-SCI-005 P2 HRS (x5) (na) 2026-1-SCI-003 P2 RSS (The rapid stages of final stellar evolution caught in the act) 2024-2-LSP-002 P3 RSS (x2) (Pan-African AGN survey using SALT/IFS: tracing the properties of AGN and their host galaxies) 2026-1-MLT-003 P3 RSS (RSS longslit observations of Hickson Compact Groups) ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, August 16, 2026
Night Log 2026-08-15
SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: E10 for HRS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ During the second part of the night, we were affected by thick, dark clouds and managed to observe only one block. However, during the first part of the night, we managed to observe seven blocks, all of which were high-priority blocks. Science data taken for: 2026-1-MLT-008 P0 RSS (Studying nearby starburst galaxies and LIRGs with the SALT IFU) 2024-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (x2) (Followup of Transients) 2024-2-COM-002 P1 RSS (x2) (This is a commissioning proposal) 2026-1-SCI-005 P2 HRS (x2) (na) 2024-2-LSP-002 P2 RSS (x2) (Pan-African AGN survey using SALT/IFS: tracing the properties of AGN and their host galaxies) ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Night Log 2026-08-14
SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: Eben and Anthony ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A full night with no technical problems. Thank you. We managed to observe many high-priority blocks. Science data taken for: 2024-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (x4) (Followup of Transients) 2026-1-MLT-008 P0 RSS (x2) (Studying nearby starburst galaxies and LIRGs with the SALT IFU) 2024-2-LSP-001 P1 HRS (Followup of Transients) 2025-2-MLT-006 P1 RSS (Study of galaxy properties of galaxy group HIPASS 1059-09) 2026-1-SCI-005 P2 HRS (x3) (na) 2024-2-LSP-002 P2 RSS (x2) (Pan-African AGN survey using SALT/IFS: tracing the properties of AGN and their host galaxies) 2026-1-SCI-002 P2 HRS (detached eclipsing binaries for PLATO mission) ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, August 14, 2026
Night Log 2026-08-13
SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: E10 and Anthony ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apart from some downtime due to the mirror problems, we managed to observe many blocks, mostly the high-priority ones. Science data taken for: 2026-1-MLT-008 P0 RSS (Studying nearby starburst galaxies and LIRGs with the SALT IFU) 2026-1-SCI-013 P0 SCAM (Observing new near Earth asteroids) 2026-1-MLT-004 P0 RSS (Observations of supernovae, near and far.) 2024-2-LSP-001 P1 RSS (x3) (Followup of Transients) 2024-2-COM-002 P1 RSS (This is a commissioning proposal) 2026-1-SCI-010 P1 RSS (High cadence spectroscopy of white dwarf pulsar J191213-44) 2026-1-SCI-005 P2 HRS (x2) (na) 2024-2-LSP-002 P2 RSS (Pan-African AGN survey using SALT/IFS: tracing the properties of AGN and their host galaxies) ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, August 13, 2026
Night Log 2026-08-12
SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We only managed to observe one block. We could not complete the observations for all the other blocks we attempted due to bad weather. Science data taken for: 2024-2-LSP-001 P1 RSS (Followup of Transients) ------------------------------------------------------------------------