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APO 3.5-m Users Committee Meeting, 5/07/2024
Attending: Cary Smith (APO), Nancy Chanover (NMSU), Misty Bentz (GSU), Joanne Hughes (Seattle U), Jamey Eriksen (APO), Moire Prescott (NMSU), Bill Ketzeback (APO), Aleksandr Mosenkov (BYU), Eric Bellm (UW), Anne Verbiscer (UVa), Ben Williams (UW), Chip Kobulnicky (UWy), Mukremin Kilic, (OU),
Adam Kowalski (CU), Derek Buzasi (FGCU), Russet McMillan (APO)
Introduction of new 3.5m Observatory Instrument Specialist
Cary Smith started on April 29 - welcome! Cary has observatory experience at McDonald Observatory and Las Cumbres Observatory, Physics - worked in astronomical observatories since getting degree.
User feedback and comments from institutional representatives
- UVa - nothing to report
- NMSU - nothing to report
- BYU - nothing to report
- FGCU - no report
- Wyoming - nothing to report
- Washington - nothing to report
- Colorado - no report
- JHU - nothing to report (sent by email)
- Seattle - nothing to report
- Oklahoma - nothing to report - nice class trip w/13 ppl, appreciate help from staff and training - NC to send Muk feedback form
- Georgia State - nothing to report
- NAPG - no report
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, 4/03/2024 – 5/06/2024
1) Overview
April has seen generally improving weather at APO. The telescope also has continued to work well.
April began with a student group visit from OU. We also hosted a visiting team for APOLLO work at the end of April/beginning of May.
A brush/forest fire started around noon MDT on May 3. It is located in Timberon, approximately 12.7 miles South East of APO. It was estimated at 100 acres in size late on May 3. APO will continue to monitor the situation until the fire is contained/out. Smoke and ash may impact observing over the next few days at APO.
2) Operations
3.5m Telescope: Telescope is working well, motion errors seem to be of the seasonal type.
0.5m Telescope: Telescope and cameras are working well except for some minor hiccups.
KOSMOS: the new slit set of 1.25” is due to arrive in early May.
ARCTIC diffuser’s rotator service is being planned for Q2/Q3 when time permits between observing runs.
Agile Instrument TEC controls failed. Attempted repairs have so far been unsuccessful.
Echelle IOL has continued to exhibit a slow decline in blue, red is stable. Still considered excellent currently for use.
TripleSpec is operating with no issues.
DIS is functioning with nothing to report.
3) Other
Additional telescope and instrument discussion
Recent fire in Timberon was contained quickly and little smoke came towards APO so we were not affected. Good weather recently. OU class went well, APOLLO team also on site. 1.25“ slits arrived on the mountain today - they will be inspected and then installed into KOSMOS. Also APOLLO training for all obs-specs on 4/22
Summer shutdown schedule
Aug 12-26 return to science that night. Instrument servicing throughout the summer but some are used frequently so they will be handled then. Do some of the more critical maintenance items to eliminate moth problems and turn back over to users. Want to give obs-specs some training time coming out of shutdown to get more experience. Not doing second or tertiary
2024 Q2 3.5m scheduling
Lot of open time in June - let your users know that there is a dark DD night on June 5. Some slots are short but see the schedule.
2024 Q3 3.5m scheduling
Allocation emails went out. Requests are due May 24. Aiming for Q3 schedule to be posted ~ June 10. Reminder to tell us early if planning to bring. - NC contact NAPG about summer visitor.
2024 Q2 0.5 scheduling
May 11-16 open and more in early June.
Publications update request
June 30 deadline.
ACTION ITEMS
Open action items from previous meetings:
- Nancy: get ROM costs for new KOSMOS grisms. UPDATE: We are in the process of putting together some quotes and working with vendors, and will make decisions from there. We will use examples that had been requested by users previously in order to get quotes so we have some idea of what will be possible. STATUS: OPEN.
- UC reps: remind your users that observers must respond to reminder emails at least 24 hours in advance.
All Other Business
Web site work. Shane has created whole separate server, modern front end with database driven apps on the back end. Long road porting everything over.Including some new capabilities (with potential for more) - close enough now so we can provide link to new site so people can check it out at next UC meeting.
Next meeting
The next meeting will be on June 4 at 10:30 MDT.
