Troubleshooting guide

9. Execute Mirror Script on Mayall-2/3. Running the mirror script on one of the MacMinis (usually the one not
used for observing) will automatically move the data from the flamingos1a data directory to a directory on
the MacMini for analysis or archiving on storage media such as a USB drive or DVD. From a terminal on
mayall-2 or 3, run
% ~/bin/mirror flamingos1a /data/4mguest/<dir>
where <dir> is the data subdirectory in /data/4mguest on flamingos1a. It is probably safest to use the full
path name. The command will create the directory <dir> on the MacMini, in whichever directory you ran
the mirror command and will use rsync to update the files every 30 seconds. Keep the terminal window in a
safe place so it is not inadvertently closed; it will keep reporting when new files have been transferred. You
can stop the process with crtl-C.
B. Startup on the Sky
Several of these steps refer to commands that are described in more detail in § IV. Imaging with
FLAMINGOS (e.g., how to configure the wheels and set the exposure time).
1. Telescope operator's typical nightly tasks:
• Opening the telescope and dome.
• Preliminary pointing check of a bright star on the North Port TV camera. The star should be located
on the grease pencil X-mark on the monitor that corresponds to the FLAMINGOS field center.
• Focus telescope on North Port TV camera (in direct video mode, not on the guide camera).
• Measure seeing. Note that the seeing camera has a focus offset from the best focus on the North Port
TV camera; if the seeing is measured after you have started observing, make certain the focus is
returned to the correct value.
2. Verify FLAMINGOS is set up for imaging. The Decker and MOS wheels should both be at imaging, the Lyot
wheel should be at the 4-m stop, and the Grism wheel should be at position open1. Use
config.rel.mv.mos.wheel.pl [Move MOS Wheel] and config.rel.mv.filter.grism.decker.wheel.pl [Move Wheels]
to move the wheels. For the first motion of the night, use the Initialize Wheels button; this will use the home
switch to zero the wheels. The H filter is quite useful for these startup tasks.
3. Center a bright star to within 10 pixels of (x,y)=(1024,1024) on FLAMINGOS.
• Within ds9 you can draw rulers from the approximate center of the star to the center of the array.
• Double clicking on the ruler line will pop up a GUI with the length of the ruler line and its
decomposition in detector (x,y) coordinates. The starting and ending (x,y) coordinates of the ruler
are also listed and are modifiable.
• Enter new values for the center of the star for one endpoint of the ruler, then enter in (1024, 1024)
for the center of the array for the other ruler endpoint. Afterwards click the Apply button at the
bottom.
• Next, hold and select the Distance pulldown button and choose the Arcseconds distance scale. The
numbers in the window will change accordingly.
• Use relative.offset.kpno.pl δRA δDec to offset the telescope.
• Note that δRA and δDec must be in arcseconds (see the previous step).
• Look at the compass arrows in ds9 to determine which of (x, y) corresponds to (RA, Dec); you may
have to darken the display to create enough contrast to see the arrows clearly. At the 4-m the
default instrument position angle is 90°; under this condition, moving an object from its present
location on the array by (+dx, +dy) in detector space corresponds to (+δDec, -δRA).
• Take another image, and iterate with rulers and relative.offset.kpno.pl until the star is centered.
FLAMINGOS@4-m, Ver. 2.39, 2013 April 23 Page 14 of 47