MDM Observatory 2.4m Telescope Observing Report for 2009 Feb 16

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

Instrument: Echelle CCD + Buckeye FW

Worked for 5 hours (first half of the night)
Conditions were Non-Photometric most of the night.
No equipment or software problems were encountered.

Seeing and Weather:
   Clouds from 11:45 until end.
   Beg: Seeing 1.5 arcsec, Clear, Winds High
   Mid: Seeing 1.5-2 arcsec, Patchy Clouds, Winds High
   End: Seeing N/A arcsec, Overcast, Winds Moderate

Observing Summary:

The night started out clear, unexpectedly (only the clear sky
clock got that part right), but with very strong winds from the 
south and a fast-moving stream of cirrus to the northwest.  
The seeing was highly variable on short timescales, evidently
because of the wind, ranging from ok (down to an arcsec) to 
very poor, and the telescope was shaking a bit when not sheltered.
Relative humidity started shooting up early in the night, but 
then declined somewhat. It was photometric for several hours,
with nary a scrap on the Kitt Peak All Sky Camera. 

Finally, around midnight, the conditions abruptly deteriorated,
with cloud moving in from the west and covering the whole 
sky in short order, so that was that.  Fog and a little spitting
rain sealed the deal somewhat later.  

Everything worked fine, but I wonder if the wind was really 
20+ mph as indicated.  Felt a bit stronger to me ...   

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Submitted on 2009 Feb 17 [5:48:52]