MDM Trouble Report for 2008 Nov 29

Telescope: 2.4m
Observer(s): Halpern (Columbia)
Instrument: CCDS

Problem(s) Encountered:
I found that the CCDS slit jaws would not close narrower than
about 200 microns, which was the cause of the poor focus noted by
recent observers.  Somewhat optimistically, I though that I
could find the cause of the problem and fix it.  Unfortunately,
that is not the case, and the slit assembly is now disassembled,
and will not be usable.  I will discuss what to do with Mark
Wagner tomorrow. 
   What I think happened was that one side of the slit had become
disconnected from its spring, and therefore was not retracting to
the closed position.  Two very tiny but crucial neoprene balls 
are missing from the assembly, which is why it can't be put back 
together.  I'm not sure what happened to them, i.e., if I lost
them, or if they had already fallen out.  The latter seems 
unlikely.  I'm sorry that I turned a somewhat workable problem 
into an unusable instrument.
   I may do some observing with RETROCAM, or maybe none at all.

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Submitted on 2008 Nov 29 [17:51:32]