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Bias Frames

Before taking any bias frames, walk around the JKT and switch off all the lights in the building (except the control room lights). Make sure that the dome lights are switched off too (the red button marked "DOME" on the control panel) and that the doors are closed to the control room. Also close the shutter on the window looking into the telecope from the control room. Finally, make sure that the telescope is in computer mode (turn the key).

Taking Bias Frames

In order to take a single bias frame, on the ICS type:

SYS>bias

Alternatively, you may take a set of n biases by typing:

SYS>multbias n

Note that it is usual for the engineering staff to take a bias frame sometime in the afternoon and that this will appear on the observing log.

Viewing The Data

The software package called IRAF is most commonly used for viewing the data obtained on the JKT. In order to start up an IRAF session, assuming that one is not already running, open up an xgterm on lpss10 by clicking the right mouse button on a clear part of the screen and going to "Programs" followed by "XGterm...". In the newly opened xgterm, type:

$>cd
$>cl

This starts up the IRAF program and the prompt will change to cl>. Next, open up an image viewer by typing:

cl>!ximtool &

In the xgterm change directory by typing:

cl>cd /obsdata/jkta

List the directories present by typing:

cl>ls

A directory named with today's date in the format YYYYMMDD should be present. If this is the case then move to this directory. Otherwise type:

cl>cd /obsdata/jktb
cl>ls
You will find a directory named with today's date in the format YYYYMMDD. Move to this directory.

Now you should be in the directory named with today's date. Type:

cl>ls

This will list all the files present with names of the form:

DAS1.fit
r136345.fit
r136346.fit
r136347.fit

In order to check what an image is, either look at the observing log or, alternatively, type:

cl>imhead filename
Note that "filename" refers to the name of the image you want information on.

In order to display an image, type:

cl>disp filename
Note that "filename" refers to the name of the image you want to display.

You will be prompted to enter the frame number in which to display the image.

After displaying the image, open the ximtool control panel by clicking on the button with the rectangle on the ximtool. This panel will allow you to zoom in/out and change colours/intensities etc. on the image(s) that you have displayed.

Finally, in order to log out of IRAF, type:

cl>lo

Reducing The Readout Time - Windowing

Windowing the CCD chip is an effective way of reducing the readout time after exposure. To set a window on the chip, type the following command on the ICS:

SYS>window 1 xsize ysize xstart ystart

Note that the parameters "xsize", "ysize", "xstart" and "ystart" refer respectively to the size of the window in the x direction, the size of the window in the y direction and the x and y coordinates of the bottom left hand corner of the window (where all numbers are to be specified in pixels).

E.g: SYS>window 1 1000 1000 1074 1074

This command specifies a square window in the centre of the SITe2 chip with a side length of 1000 pixels. Correspondingly this will quarter the readout time for this chip.

The window parameters are displayed in the CCD status window on the DAS.

To window the whole chip, type:

SYS>window 1 0 0 0 0

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Last Updated: 20 Apr. 2001
Dan Bramich dmb@ing.iac.es