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uc:uc20230502_may_2_2023 [2023/05/11 19:19]
nchanove
uc:uc20230502_may_2_2023 [2023/05/11 21:48] (current)
nchanove
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   * FGCU - no report   * FGCU - no report
   * NAPG - no report   * NAPG - no report
-  * Seattle - nothing to report+  * Seattle - Joanne is working with Joe Burchett (NMSU) and Bill (APO) on getting her MOS slits for KOSMOS designed and fabricated. The process is on schedule for her upcoming observing run.
   * BYU - nothing to report   * BYU - nothing to report
   * Wyoming - no report   * Wyoming - no report
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 === Additional telescope and instrument discussion ===  === Additional telescope and instrument discussion === 
  
-Jamey recapped the site report above. Nancy mentioned that Joe Burchett (NMSU) was recently awarded a grant that will cover the fabrication costs of slit masks for those who are interested in trying out the MOS capabilities of KOSMOS**UC reps: please make your users aware of this opportunity.**+The moths are back at APO for the warm weather season :   The KOSMOS hose was repaired and the ARCTIC diffuser will be serviced soon to troubleshoot the rotation issueThe NA2 baffle fence has been installed and ARCTIC users can now take dome flats. BYUCam is performing nicely.
  
-Plans are proceeding to have M1 realuminized at Lowell Observatory this summer. Note added in proof: the dates for the summer shutdown have been finalized. ** Shutdown will start on July 26 and the anticipated return to science is August 22 ** (although that could slip by several days if the weather during engineering recovery is poor).+Plans are proceeding to have M1 realuminized at Lowell Observatory this summer. The design for the mirror support system in the Lowell chamber is finished. Note added in proof: the dates for the summer shutdown have been finalized. ** Shutdown will start on July 26 and the anticipated return to science is August 22 ** (although that could slip by several days if the weather during engineering recovery is poor).
  
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 === Software update ===  === Software update === 
  
-Nancy provided a status updated on PyKOSMOS (from Jim Davenport at UW):+Recall that a couple of months ago we heard an update about pyvista from Jon Holtzman (see notes here: [[uc:uc20230307_march_7_2023|APO 3.5-m Users Committee Meeting, 03/07/2023]]). Today Nancy provided a status updated on PyKOSMOS (from Jim Davenport at UW):
  
 The code is functional for most all reduction tasks, and being used by folks for lots of basic reduction. The methods in PyKOSMOS have already helped influence the maturing “specreduce” astropy package, and it is available on GitHub with moderate documentation: [[https://github.com/jradavenport/pykosmos]]. Jim has a student who is working towards making the project “pip installable”, for super easy setup for most python users. There will be some tweaks to the code in the next couple months due to this but hopefully it will be easier to install/use as a result. Next steps in the software development include algorithm improvements (e.g. “optimal” extraction), which probably will be part of astropy instead of PyKOSMOS, as well as a bunch of small APO/KOSMOS specific things (handling the variable biases better, fixing header issues, making a more robust automatic wavelength solution that account for internal sag w/ the rotation, building a library of standard calibration files for easier automated reduction, etc.). Jim currently does not have the bandwidth or personnel to work on these tasks but thinks that improving PyKOSMOS would be an amazing summer project for a grad student, and he would welcome support and/or collaboration from other ARC members. The code is functional for most all reduction tasks, and being used by folks for lots of basic reduction. The methods in PyKOSMOS have already helped influence the maturing “specreduce” astropy package, and it is available on GitHub with moderate documentation: [[https://github.com/jradavenport/pykosmos]]. Jim has a student who is working towards making the project “pip installable”, for super easy setup for most python users. There will be some tweaks to the code in the next couple months due to this but hopefully it will be easier to install/use as a result. Next steps in the software development include algorithm improvements (e.g. “optimal” extraction), which probably will be part of astropy instead of PyKOSMOS, as well as a bunch of small APO/KOSMOS specific things (handling the variable biases better, fixing header issues, making a more robust automatic wavelength solution that account for internal sag w/ the rotation, building a library of standard calibration files for easier automated reduction, etc.). Jim currently does not have the bandwidth or personnel to work on these tasks but thinks that improving PyKOSMOS would be an amazing summer project for a grad student, and he would welcome support and/or collaboration from other ARC members.
 +
 +Adam Kowalski also mentioned that he also has a python module for spectral extraction that he is willing to share.
  
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 === Instrumentation update ===  === Instrumentation update === 
  
-The echelle science tiger team met once in April and discussed potential science drivers for the new instrument. Work is proceeding on the conceptual design, and periodic feedback between the design team and science users is expected. There have been some discussions about options for multi-band and/or speckle imaging capabilities, and the DSSI team continues to test out their instrument on the 3.5m. If users are interested in learning more about its capabilities they should contact Nancy so she can facilitate that exchange of information.+The echelle science tiger team met once in April and discussed potential science drivers for the new instrument. Work is proceeding on the conceptual design and trade studies include the use of a dispersion corrector, spectropolarimetry, and options for tip-tilt correction; periodic feedback between the design team and science users is expected.
  
----- +There have been some discussions about options for multi-band and/or speckle imaging capabilities, and the DSSI team continues to test out their instrument on the 3.5m. If users are interested in learning more about its capabilities they should contact Nancy so she can facilitate that exchange of information.
- +
-=== Q2 3.5m scheduling ===+
  
-There is some unassigned time at end of May: 1 dark B half (19 Mayand 2 dark A halves (24, 25 May), all unencumbered. Users are encouraged to request this time if they can make use of it (particularly those who have been weathered out recently)As a reminder, users should include Ben, Russet, Amanda, Nancy and their institutional scheduler on all schedule related emails.+Joe Burchett (NMSUwas recently awarded a grant that will cover the fabrication costs of slit masks for those who are interested in trying out the MOS capabilities of KOSMOS**UC reps: please make your users aware of this opportunity.**
  
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 === Q2 3.5m scheduling === === Q2 3.5m scheduling ===
  
-There is some unassigned time at end of May: 1 dark B half (19 May) and 2 dark A halves (24, 25 May), all unencumbered. Users are encouraged to request this time if they can make use of it (particularly those who have been weathered out recently). As a reminder, users should include Ben, Russet, Amanda, Nancy and their institutional scheduler on all schedule related emails.+There is some unassigned time at end of May: 1 unencumbered dark B half (19 May) and 2 grey A halves (24, 25 May) adjacent to sunset APOLLO observations. And also some time early June: June 1B and June 4B (both unencumbered but bright). Users are encouraged to request this time if they can make use of it (particularly those who have been weathered out recently). As a reminder, users should include Ben, Russet, Amanda, Nancy and their institutional scheduler on all schedule related emails.
  
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uc/uc20230502_may_2_2023.1683832787.txt.gz · Last modified: 2023/05/11 19:19 by nchanove