MDM Trouble Report for 2014 Aug 31

Telescope: 2.4m
Observer(s): Sheffield, Simion, & Koposov (Columbia)
Instrument: Modspec+Echelle

Problem(s) Encountered:
At around 11:30pm, we found that the spectrum of the last science target was 
showing almost no signal, just noise. We first checked that the dark hatch was 
open. Next, we reset Owl and the MIS software. The problem persisted. We 
checked a quartz frame and there was almost no light getting in. 
We then opened and closed the dark hatch. After this, we took a quartz frame 
and the signal was back to the appropriate level.
We then tried a science target but the problem was back. (The guide probe 
had no problems moving to a guide star outside of the instrument fov.)
We tried opening and closing the dark hatch again and then going straight to 
a star (to see if moving the finder in and out was part of the problem) but there 
was still severe light loss.

We shut down at 2:15am.

------------------------------

Submitted on 2014 Sep 1 [2:37:43]