Astronomer Report
Name: Shteyngardt Veronika
Date: 01/16/2016
Sky Conditions: from completely foggy to almost clear sky.
Wind conditions: a little bit windy
Observation Start Time: checked sky during the night. Started at 21.00 and at 23.00
Observation End Time: Finished at 21.38 and at 01:30
Summary: at the beginning of the observing night I showed the Moon to new crew member Mahbub, we did several pictures of the night sky without telescope and then I started to learn how autoguide works. After 23.00, when sky became clear I continued to work with the dome synchronization and autoguide. To understand the way I can use it I made a series of different shots of M42. Till the moment comet was observable I was already cold and tired.
Objects viewed: the Moon, M42.
Problems Encountered: 1) the done synchronizing with the telescope. The dome went to the “East” point first I wrote to you, but after I get your message I decided to check. Yesterday the next happened: the dome decided to park to the East, turned a little bit and stopped. I disconnected the dome and telescope and connected them again. The dome turned again and again and stopped before the East. After third time the dome found the East. After new reconnection it did not move knowing it pointed to the East. After that I clicked “slave dome to Scope” and get the same situation I described in my previous report.
2) The “clack” thing. Yesterday I showed the Moon to Mahbub and started to learning autoguide with the telescope in working mode. Telescope was just standing during about 20 minutes and then this sound from the top of the pier appeared, the video is attached. I decided stop working and let it have some rest. During observations after 23 I did not let the telescope to be just staying, it worked more than hour and I could not hear this sound. So, I think should not just let it be staying without any rotation.
Yours sincerely,
Shteyngardt Veronika