MDM Observatory 1.3m Telescope Observer's Report for 2007 Mar 12

Observer(s): armstrong, corby
Institution(s): columbia

Instrument: templeton/direct

Worked for 11 hours (all night)
Conditions were Photometric most of the night.
No equipment or software problems were encountered.

Seeing and Weather:
   Beg: Seeing 1.6 arcsec, Clear, Winds Calm
   Mid: Seeing 1.8 arcsec, Clear, Winds Calm
   End: Seeing 1.4 arcsec, Clear, Winds Calm

Observing Summary:

Several long exposures of GRB070311 at start, then a long time series on
a GRB.

The trouble with TCS monitor repeated itself.  Yesterday (evening of March 11), 
the TCS registered nothing - not a change in coordinates or running
clocks.  I rebooted the computer, and it was fine.

Tonight, just as we slewed to zenith at closing, the DECLINATION on the TCS
suddenly stopped functioning.  We had slewed to zero hour angle, and as we
then started slewing to zenith in declination (from +26 43 to +31 57), and the 
declination reading stayed stuck at +26 43, while the RA and 
clocks kept running.

I suspect another reboot would correct this, but we've left the screen the
way it is, in case you want to examine it this morning.

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Submitted on 2007 Mar 13 [6:16:08]