115-AstronomyReport

Astronomy Report

01/15/2015

Scott MacPhee

Renee Garifi

Sky Conditions: Clear

Wind Conditions: Calm

Observation Start Time: 18:00

Observation End Time: 21:00

Summary:

Tonight's observation (in progress): KC03C03248 target star with visual

magnitude of 13.28 and transit lasting 3 hours beginning at 17:59 (before

twilight). 15 Flat field images were taken at twilight along with 15 bias

frames, once the CCD camera had been sufficiently cooled.

We followed similar observing steps as last night: this time performing a

last alignment, finding the target star field, achieving good focus,

finding appropriate stars for autoguiding, and setting CCDops to grab the

series of images. We are currently collecting target 70 second light

exposures in order to capture target egress. Dark exposures will be

completed once a baseline level for the target has been established post

egress.

Objects Viewed:

Targeting KC03C03248: RA 03:34:35.87. Dec: 43:58:00.9

Problems Encountered:

Last night, we had planned to observe target KC04C016088. Due to the

lengthy set-up required on the first night of observing, we were not able

to make the targeted transit egress. We did learn to troubleshoot and

walkthrough the CCD camera operations for this telescope in order to work

more quickly tonight.

Once the temperature dropped at the end of the observation window last

evening, a distinct clink sound was heard while we were slewing the

telescope to the home position. We interpreted this sound as being due to

the internal metal motors grabbing as a result of the cold. Please advise

if there is an anomaly check procedure we can perform on the telescope.