MDM Trouble Report for 2005 Sep 14

Telescope: 2.4m
Observer(s): John Thorstensen (Dartmouth)
Instrument: echelle CCD direct + 2in FW

Problem(s) Encountered:
I slewed from north to south over the zenith and the dome did not
move - it just sat there.  I turned the dome auto-enable switch
(on the black DFM panel) on and off, and the dome started to 
move.  Whether it was because of my cycling the switch, or just
a coincidence, I don't know.

The problem reminded me of the Lick 3-m, in which the dome
would get stuck occasionally when the telescope went through
the zenith.  They had (have?) a mechanical  dome phantom , a
little model of the system in which there's a tiny telescope
slaved to the big telescope, which has a stick which points
out through a tiny dome, which in turn drives the big dome.
Going dead across the zenith, the little model would jam,
and the night assistant would have to run out and kick it ...
those were the days ... 

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Submitted on 2005 Sep 14 [6:19:39]