OPENING PROCEDURE

• Check weather conditions are safe for opening:
  • humidity < 90% , no water condensing anywhere (check the rail),
  • wind < 50 mph and no windblown dust,
  • no ice or snow on dome.
• Check trouble logs or messages from the day crew.

  While in the Dome,

• fill the instrument(s) dewar with nytrogen whenever needed, and check temperature;
• check the rotator position (default = 270.2);
• check cables everywhere;
• make sure you leave the platform in a safe position;
• if f/31, power switch on for the tip-tilt.
• Turn on
  • TELESCOPE POWER,
  • POLAR BEARING PUMP,
  • DOME HYDRAULIC PUMP.
• Press MASTER RESET, all trouble lights should be off.
• Check right and left TCS console switches.
• Open Dome shutter when the astronomers are ready (after flats), switch back in STOP position when movement completed, be aware it will take 1min 15sec in case there is no beep alarm.
  Close the mirrors covers whenever you move the shutter. If there is any risk of ice falling, the wind shield should be closed too.
• Open MIRROR COVERS.

  On Tycho,

• in TCS window:
  • START to check the opening procedure,
  • ?P to check the focal ratio is correctly set, (CASSEG or F/31).

    It does not hurt to check also:

  • CHRONO-TIME to check the TCS reads the Chrono-log clock properly,
    called automatically by the SLEW program;
  • LIMITS (occasionaly change with instrument set-up);
• check time and date on left TCS console and TCS monitor;
• check the Telescope configuration in TIC, SM on.

  On Viper,

• Atlas, good to check the probe is moving, set unit per arcsecond according to the focal ratio.
• MiniOtto for F/10, Otto for F/31, try an exposure.
• Check humidity in control room, turn on the humidifier if around 30%.

  Check the pointing.

• Run INCL in tycho window, the default values for each focal ratio are on the board.
• MARK on a BS close to the zenith.
• Focus on a SAO close to the first object, get a GS to focus the guider too.
• Fill out the Dayly Time Log, and the Operational Log whenever the Dome is opened or closed, plus at midnight and 04:00am.
• Turn off the fans 15min after opening the Dome.

RIGHT TCS CONSOLE / LEFT TCS CONSOLE / TROUBLE SHOOTING LIST / CLOSING PROCEDURE / Back to 88inch Menu /

WEATHER / IR WEATHER MAP / UKIRT WEATHER / GEMINI CAMERA VIEW

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