MDM Observatory 2.4m Telescope Observing Report for 2009 May 29

Observer(s): John Tobin and Hsin-Fang Chiang
Institution(s): U of M

Instrument: TIFKAM

Worked for 9.0 hours (all night)
Conditions were Mixed most of the night.
Problems were encountered, see the separate trouble report for details.

Seeing and Weather:
   Clouds from 2000 until 2400.
   Beg: Seeing 1.2 arcsec, Patchy Clouds, Winds Calm
   Mid: Seeing 1.0 arcsec, Clear, Winds Calm
   End: Seeing 0.8 arcsec, Clear, Winds Calm

Observing Summary:

Observed 2 4'x5' toward L1157 in H and Ks band 40-60 minutes per band.
Observed one field toward L43 and two standards.

We are observing in a dither pattern, moving 15  every 2 minutes in
a 5 point pattern. When observing L43, hour angle of -2.5 and declination
of -15, the TCS would frequently not complete the move causing
the guider to not work well and drifting. The TCS fixes itself but
usually after 5 minutes of poor guiding. The TCS would
generally say one of the following:  Dec encoders not responding ,
 RA encoders not responding , or  RA or dec encoders not responding. 

The incomplete moves was less of a problem when we switched to a
northern source even though the hour angles were higher (started at
-5.0). But, the same problem still cropped up randomly.

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Submitted on 2009 May 30 [4:21:55]