Night Log 2026-10-04

SA: Moses SO: Veronica Others: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Despite some cloud cover we used the good seeing to observe some high priority blocks until the humidity caused us to close early. Science data taken for: 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) 2026-1-SCI-008 P1 RSS (Determining mass of 2 Brown Dwarfs orbiting WD stars using Radial Velocities) 2026-1-DDT-002 P1 HRS (Monitoring of stellar activity of solar analog star) 2026-1-SCI-016 P2 RSS ("Understanding the peculiar collision geometry of the Cartwheel system") 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-027 P3 HRS (Determining the metallicity of bulge Type II Cepheids) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-10-03

SA: Moses SO: Veronica Others: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lost the whole night due to bad weather No science data taken. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-10-02

SA: Moses SO: Veronica Others: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lost the whole night due to bad weather. No science data taken. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-10-01

SA: Moses SO: Veronica Others: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We had a smooth night with a bit of cloud around, and managed to observe many blocks of mixed priority. Science data taken for: 2026-1-SCI-008 P1 RSS (Determining mass of 2 Brown Dwarfs orbiting WD stars using Radial Velocities) 2026-1-SCI-002 P1 HRS (detached eclipsing binaries for PLATO mission) 2024-2-LSP-002 P2 RSS (Pan-African AGN survey using SALT/IFS: tracing the properties of AGN and their host galaxies) 2024-2-LSP-001 P2 HRS (x2) (Followup of Transients) 2026-1-SCI-005 P2 HRS (na) 2024-2-LSP-001 P2 RSS (Followup of Transients) 2025-2-MLT-012 P3 HRS (Search for binary stars which may form planetary nebulae.) 2026-1-SCI-027 P3 HRS (Determining the metallicity of bulge Type II Cepheids) 2025-2-MLT-008 P3 HRS (Monitoring beta Pic for exocomets.) 2026-1-MLT-003 P4 RSS (RSS longslit observations of Hickson Compact Groups) 2025-2-LSP-001 P4 HRS (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-30

SA: Moses SO: Veronica Others: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We had mostly clear skies with good seeing in the first half of the night, the second half had poor seeing. But we managed to observe many blocks of mixed priority. Science data taken for: 2024-2-LSP-001 P0 RSS (Followup of Transients) 2026-1-SCI-001 P1 HRS (Tracing evolution of recent stellar merger remnants) 2026-1-SCI-008 P1 RSS (Determining mass of 2 Brown Dwarfs orbiting WD stars using Radial Velocities) 2026-1-SCI-012 P2 RSS (Probing circular polarisation from mCVs) 2026-1-SCI-005 P2 HRS (x4) (na) 2026-1-SCI-021 P3 HRS (Charcaterizing eclisping binaries that have experienced unstable mass transfer) 2026-1-MLT-006 P3 RSS (Search for new Galactic symbiotic stars) 2026-1-SCI-009 P3 RSS (Extreme variability in the BLR of the AGN HE2129-3356) 2025-2-MLT-008 P3 HRS (Monitoring beta Pic for exocomets.) 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) 2026-1-MLT-003 P4 RSS (x2) (RSS longslit observations of Hickson Compact Groups) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-29

SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: Daniel, Moses for handover. SCM team ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Finally, we had a full night, but it was not as good as we had hoped because the seeing was unstable for about three-quarters of the night. We managed to observe 15 blocks with mixed priorities. Science data taken for: 2025-2-MLT-014 P1 RSS (Observations of a possible nova super-remnant around a CV.) 2024-2-LSP-001 P1 HRS (Followup of Transients) 2024-2-LSP-001 P1 RSS (x2) (Followup of Transients) 2026-1-COM-001 P1 HRS (x2) (HRS HS Commissioning ) 2024-2-COM-002 P1 RSS (This is a commissioning proposal) 2024-2-MLT-001 P3 HRS (Spectroscopy of compact heirarchial triples) 2026-1-SCI-027 P3 HRS (Determining the metallicity of bulge Type II Cepheids) 2026-1-SCI-003 P3 HRS (x2) (The rapid stages of final stellar evolution caught in the act) 2026-1-MLT-001 P4 HRS (Ovservations of ssrAp stars) 2025-1-MLT-004 P4 RSS (x2) (Near-UV and visible spectroscopy of the primitive asteroids) 2023-2-MLT-005 P4 RSS (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-28

SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: Daniel, E10, Nico, Dev, Wimpie and Anthony ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The night was difficult, starting with technical problems and followed by poor seeing, which forced us to observe only P4 blocks tonight. Science data taken for: 2025-2-LSP-001 P4 HRS (x3) (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-27

SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: Daniel, Sibo and E10 for HRS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ we managed to open up and observer only one block before high humidity force us to close. Science data taken for: 2026-1-SCI-001 P1 HRS (Tracing evolution of recent stellar merger remnants) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-26

SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Another night lost to the bad weather. No science data taken. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-25

SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: Daniel and Johan ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Night lost to weather. No science data taken. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-24

SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: Daniel and E10 for fire alarm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A few attempts were made, but we were defeated by clouds. We managed to observe only 4 blocks. Science data taken for: 2024-2-COM-002 P1 RSS (This is a commissioning proposal) 2025-2-MLT-012 P2 HRS (Search for binary stars which may form planetary nebulae.) 2025-2-MLT-004 P2 HRS (Radial Velocity Monitoring and Atmospheric Parameters Study of Yellow Symbiotic Giants) 2026-1-MLT-002 P3 HRS (HRS-MR spectra of Classical Cepheids ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-23

SA: Antoine SO: Fred Others: Deniel, E10 for BMS,SIBO and Anthony ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The weather kept us closed most of the night. But final we manager to observer 4 blocks. Science data taken for: 2025-2-MLT-012 P2 HRS (Search for binary stars which may form planetary nebulae.) 2024-2-MLT-001 P3 HRS (x2) (Spectroscopy of compact heirarchial triples) 2026-1-SCI-003 P3 HRS (The rapid stages of final stellar evolution caught in the act) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-22

SA: Lee SO: Veronica Others: Mahike, Lisa, Shan, Jake, Malcolm, Wimpie ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We lost the first half of the night to stormy weather. Then only managed 2 blocks before humidity came and closed us for the rest of the night. Science data taken for: 2023-2-MLT-005 P4 RSS (x2) (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-21

SA: Lee SO: Veronica Others: Mahike, Lisa, Malcolm, Jake, Shan, Shamiel, Dev ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We managed two more blocks tonight which would normally be disappointing, but with the recent weather it feels like a victory! A combination of cloud and humidity kept us closed most of the night, and some mirror issues meant we failed to make the most of the gaps in the weather. Good progress was made with the laser comb commissioning during the bad weather. Science data taken for: 2025-2-LSP-001 P3 HRS (Defining a new chemically peculiar star catalogue) 2024-2-MLT-001 P3 HRS (Spectroscopy of compact heirarchial triples) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-20

SA: Lee SO: Veronica Others: Mahike, Lisa, Malcolm, Shan, Jake ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ After 10 days of bad weather we finally managed to open up for a few hours on-sky. We battled cloud on and off before high humidity closed us at midnight. Science data taken for: 2026-1-SCI-007 P2 RSS (Observations of Rare and Fast Transients and their Hosts) 2023-2-MLT-005 P3 HRS (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere) 2026-1-MLT-006 P4 RSS (Search for new Galactic symbiotic stars) 2023-2-MLT-005 P4 RSS (Monitoring the activity of Be/X-ray binaries in the southern hemisphere) ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-19

SA: Lee SO: Veronica Others: Mahike, Malcolm, Jake, Shan ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Another night lost to weather. No science data taken. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-18

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

Night Log 2026-09-17

SA: Lee SO: Veronica Others: Mahike, Lisa, Malcolm, Shan, Jake ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Another night lost to stormy weather. No science data taken. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Log 2026-09-16

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

Night Log 2026-09-15

SA: Danièl SO: Austun Others: Thabelo and interview candidates, Lee, ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lost the whole night to bad weather No science data taken. ------------------------------------------------------------------------