Daily Check-List for C2 Observers on the Swiss-Euler Telescope (T4)

The following check-list is intended as a guide-line for C2 Observers. Of course the detailed sequence of the various task can be modified. This list shall just help in reminding these general steps. For discussion on observing strategy please contact the C2 Group.

Afternoon

1. Check the water level in the two humidifier and refill if necessary

2. If you burned CDROMs or DVDROMs, check their status and stock Master and COPY CD in respective boxes.

3. Check Coralie and Camera temperature whether “OK”

4. Check the Coralie-dewar (TP-60) LN2-level.

• If below the limit mark then exchange the dewar
• If below the second line from bottom then ask ESO to refill the spare dewar
• Two days before changing the dewar mount the filling tube in order to build up pressure

5. Check the Camera-dewar (Ranger) LN2-level

• If only two marks left then exchange the dewar
• If only 8 marks left then ask ESO to refill the spare dewar

6. Archive the data on CDs. Use for this purpose the save_night routine. 

   e.g. save_night obscam_20050101

7. As soon as the observer comes back to the telescope in the afternoon, he/she must open the dome windows on the opposite side of the sun direction.

T0 - 2h before the beginning of the night

8. Refill the Caméra 2 with LN2 following the procedure. Wait some minutes and disconnect the filling tube from the C2 camera, put the filling tube back in its park position. Make sure that the security switch is off (red led is off)

9. Start-up instrument with telescope

• Put on TEUPS AES BCO button on "En" position
• Put on TEUPS Raquettes TE button on "En" position

10.Login on Castor from the terminal “t4main”

• Type "cd observations" inside this terminal (create the directory if it does not exist
• Type "xrunall" inside this terminal
• Click on "Demarrage complet" (choose "C2" as the "instrument" and "observation" as the "Mode de Travail")
• Report possible errors during the start-up via the problem-report web pag 
• Open the dome

11.Insert a Flat exposure (catalogue flat.rdb, choose the flat corresponding to the right month) into the edp and start the exposures (“Lancer une pose” in “UIF C2”). Put an “Auto Stop” after the Flat exposure in order to avoid that the observation start too early. You can see, what is happening, on the IMAGER window (prompter).

12.Prepare your observation night in “edp”, e.g. by loading the sources from a catalogue.

13.Immediately after sunset, all windows and the dome must be opened.

T0 - 45min before the beginning of the night

14.Close the curtains to avoid stray light.

T0 – 15min before the beginning of the night

15.Start the observation night, perform the observations (“Lancer une pose” in “UIF Coralie”)

End of the night

16.Insert a Flat exposure (catalogue flat.rdb, choose the flat corresponding to the right month) into the edp and start the exposures (“Lancer une pose” in “UIF C2”). The exposition will start about 45min after the end of the night (see  point 11).

17.Wait the end of this exposure and make a “Fin de nuit”

18.Connect tube to the C2 camera and start a LN2 re-filling of the Caméra 2

19.Close the windows inside the dome

20.Put on TEUPS AES BCO button on "Hors" position

21.Put on TEUPS Raquettes TE button on "Hors" position

22.Archive the data on CDs (see point 6)

23.Go to bed and sleep well, but before close the building door