MDM Trouble Report for 2012 Jun 20

Telescope: 2.4m
Observer(s): John Thorstensen (Dartmouth)
Instrument: OSMOS (unrelated to problem)

Problem(s) Encountered:
As context, the dome rotation failed the other day and Eric 
and Tony spent almost all day working on fixing it, apparently 
successfully.  It worked perfectly for the first couple of hours
of the night.  

But as I was tracking a target (in the south, as it happened), 
the dome rotation failed when the dome attempted to follow - not a 
slew, just an adjustment.  I was in the control room 
and heard the motors whirring, as they had when the dome stuck 
the other day.  I immediately stopped the auto dome; trying to 
move the dome either way with the paddle gave the same result.

I parked the telescope and hooked up the dome emergency cable, 
but the dome wouldn't close (I may not have achieved good 
contact?).  

It was a beautiful night, and since I was forced to stay open,
I kept observing for the rest of the night, pointing
in the slot of sky that was available  I have lots and lots of
targets, and the telescope and instrument worked perfectly.  
Note that autodome was OFF so the dome NEVER tried to move.  

I had to leave the dome open at the end of the night! NOTE that 
I left the telescope parked pointing NE of zenith in an attempt 
to keep the sun off the top ring for a while after sunrise.  

The dewar is topped off.

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Submitted on 2023 Jun 21 [5:02:25]