MDM Observatory 2.4m Telescope Observer's Report for 2006 Mar 21

Observer(s): John Thorstensen
Institution(s): Dartmouth

Instrument: Modspec + Echelle CCD

Worked for 4.5 hours (last half of the night)
Conditions were Mixed most of the night.
Problems were encountered, see the separate trouble report for details.

Seeing and Weather:
   Fog from 7 PM until 1 AM.
   Beg: Fog/Low Clouds, Winds High
   Mid: Fog/Low Clouds, Winds Moderate
   End: Seeing 1.5 arcsec, Clear, Winds Moderate

Observing Summary:

The afternoon was full of what looked like fair-weather cumulus, 
but a wall of fog, wind, and moisture hit just around sunset. 
Then, after midnight, it miraculously cleared off and the 
humidity plummeted.  The humidity graph on the weather station 
had a profile strikingly resembling Devil's Tower in Wyoming, 
but without all the flying saucers buzzing about it.  The sky
quickly cleared, with decent seeing until it deteriorated at 
the very end.

Trouble is what appears to be a noise pickup in echelle, not gross
but definitely present.  Otherwise, everything was fine.

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Submitted on 2006 Mar 22 [6:11:55]