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APO 3.5-m Users Committee Meeting, 3/05/2024
Attending:
Nancy Chanover (NMSU), Aleksandr Mosenkov (BYU), Misty Bentz (GSU), Russet McMillan (APO), Mark Croom (APO), Kevin Schlaufman (JHU), Gordon MacDonald (APO), Joanne Hughes (Seattle U), Mukremin Kilic, (OU), Jamey Eriksen (APO), Adam Kowalski (CU), Ben Williams (UW), Anne Verbiscer (UVa), Derek Buzasi (FGCU)
User feedback and comments from institutional representatives
- Wyoming
- Washington
- UVa
- Seattle
- Oklahoma
- NMSU
- NAPG
- JHU
- Georgia State
- FGCU
- Colorado
- BYU
Telescope and Instruments Report
The detailed site report is included below, followed by additional information discussed during today's meeting.
3.5-m Telescope and Instruments Highlights, 2/07/2024 – 3/04/2024
1) Overview
February has seen improving weather at APO except for a recent snow storm at the end of month. The telescope has continued to work well. Weather has been turning from the continual winter storm cycle to a more moderate pattern.
We had the DSSI team at APO for observing in February, but otherwise things were quiet at the site. March is going to start off with a class from CU during the first full week of the month.
2) Operations
3.5m Telescope: Telescope is working well; motion errors seem to be of the seasonal type.
0.5m Telescope: Nothing to report
KOSMOS new slits (high/center/low for both 1.25 and 20 arcsecond widths) have arrived and are being further tested/modified (captive screws, covers, dowel pins).
ARCTIC diffuser’s rotator service is being planned for later in the spring.
Agile Instrument TEC controls failed. Attempted repairs have so far been unsuccessful so far.
ARCES fill system is repaired and the instrument was cooled down. The inter-order light has been degrading steadily since it was returned to service.
DIS red camera readout failure was fixed and the camera was returned to service.
Additional telescope and instrument discussion
xxx
Future instrumentation update
xxx
2024 Q1 3.5m scheduling
The remaining unassigned time in Q1 is all OPEN:
| Date | Start Time | End Time | Moon Brightness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-03-20 | 20:24 | 01:10 | 86 |
| 2024-03-23 | 01:10 | 06:53 | 99 |
| 2024-03-27 | 01:10 | 06:47 | 92 |
| 2024-03-28 | 19:29 | 01:10 | 86 |
| 2024-03-28 | 01:10 | 06:46 | 86 |
2024 Q2 3.5m scheduling
The Q2 schedule is in the works.
2024 Q1 0.5m scheduling
The Q1 schedule for ARCSAT is basically full. There is one week that is listed as unavailable when we will have classes on site. The Q2 call for proposals will be issued in mid-March.
ACTION ITEMS
Open action items from previous meetings:
- UC reps: ask your users what capabilities KOSMOS lacks that makes some people still want to use DIS
- Nancy: get ROM costs for new KOSMOS grisms
- UC reps: remind your users to review the Q1 schedule and request OPEN/DD time if they can make a good case for it.
Open action items from this meeting:
- xxx
All Other Business
xxx
Next meeting
The next meeting will be on April 2 at 10:30 MDT.
