MDM Observatory 2.4m Telescope Observing Report for 2010 Nov 12

Observer(s): J. Thorstensen and E. Dauson
Institution(s): Dartmouth

Instrument: modspec + echelle CCD

Worked for 12 hours (all night)
Conditions were Photometric most of the night.
Problems were encountered, see the separate trouble report for details.

Seeing and Weather:
   Beg: Seeing 1.5+ arcsec, Clear, Winds Moderate
   Mid: Seeing 1+ arcsec, Clear, Winds Moderate
   End: Seeing 1+ arcsec, Clear, Winds Light & Variable

Observing Summary:

A good night, very clear, mediocre seeing for much of 
first half, improving to decent by the end.  Got excellent
starts on two CV orbital periods.

Two notable firsts: 
(1) The first use of the Yorke Brown slit viewer with modspec.
It worked very well -- the focus was different from Mark III, but
easily within range of the slit-viewing camera lens. 
(2) New (actually, cleaned up old spare) slit jaws on the 
Modspec.  These worked fine but the calibration of the 
bi-parting slit jaw opening is a bit odd. Accomplished this
with a throughput-vs-counter reading test in the afternoon.
Modspec observers should contact Thorstensen about the slit
calibration.

The guider came into OK focus at the start of the night, but
when we tried to adjust it later during the night it was
unresponsive in either direction.  It's focused well enough so
this doesn't need to be looked into until after the weekend,
unless something else untoward happens.  

We developed a rather straightforward procedure to get stars
into the slit using the guide-star selector and the guide probe.

Note that this was echelle chip -- it appeared to work fine,
so far!  If we continue to have success then it can 
provisionally be regarded as cured of its troubles. 

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Submitted on 2010 Nov 13 [7:11:42]