MDM Observatory 2.4m Telescope Observing Report for 2009 Jun 12

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

Instrument: modspec + echelle CCD direct

Worked for 8 hours (all night)
Conditions were Mixed most of the night.
No equipment or software problems were encountered.

Seeing and Weather:
   Beg: Clear, Winds Moderate
   Mid: Cirrus, Winds Moderate
   End: Patchy Clouds, Winds Light & Variable

Observing Summary:

The night started out beautifully, but the wind picked up and my
targets far to the E suffered from very bad seeing at times, 
Later, a river of cirrus moving SW to NE appeared to the SE, and
it eventually encroached on the zenith, leading to some periods
of substantial high cloud.  I was always able to work through 
holes on secondary targets.  

Two items of note: (1) a mouse was caught, but not killed, in one
of the snap-traps in the shop.  I took it out on the dock and let
it go -- I was going to put it out of its misery -- but to my 
surprise it sacampered away.  (2) There is a forest fire about 
10 miles to the south -- the Elk Horn fire.  One of the peaks to
the south was silhouetted in the orange glow of the fire tonight.
I called KPNO, and they said it was not a concern yet; the wind
is not blowing smoke over us, and it's too far to be an immediate
danger.

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Submitted on 2009 Jun 13 [4:58:34]