MDM Observatory 1.3m Telescope Observer's Report for 2001 Apr 14

Observer(s): Ryan
Institution(s): U of Arizona

Instrument: Echelle

Worked for 6.5 hours (all night)
Conditions were Photometric most of the night.
No equipment or software problems were encountered.

Seeing and Weather:
   Beg: Seeing 1.25 arcsec, Clear, Winds Calm
   Mid: Seeing 1.5 arcsec, Clear, Winds Calm
   End: Seeing 2.5 arcsec, Clear, Winds Calm

Observing Summary:

Shorter than normal observing time due to problems with the autoguider.  Found out that 1) it is very grumpy at start up and the voltage dial must be in exactly the right spot at start up or it won't work and 2) images look a lot better when the autoguider probe isn't in front of the CCD (D'oh!)
Other than that every thing was good. . .seeing has been degrading as the night goes on but since it was incredibly hazy in the valleys right after dinner that's not surprising.
Oh and the mice have been keeping company :-)
Small recommendation which y'all might have heard before is that a new step ladder is needed for some of us short people for opening the mirror covers. . .I found that I was not very stable on tip-toes having to go to the limit of my reach to grab the handle for the cover crank.

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Submitted on 2001 Apr 15 [3:25:54]