JKT Beginners Help

Scope of this Document

This document is meant as a basic "need to know" guide for the 1-m Jacobus Kaypten Telescope and supplements the normal support provided. There is a lot more to the telescope, but that is not deemed relevant for basic observations.

For more info see:

Observers Guide to the JKT and JAG-CCD Camera John Telting 1998.
General JKT help
SITe2 Parameters.

What you are looking at

TCS, DAS, ICS.

Document Prompts

Systems prompts will appear in the text as type writer fonts, in the following format:


	 USER>commands to TCS
	  SYS>commands to ICS after startobssys
        *USER>commands common to TCS and ICS   
	   cl>IRAF commands 	
jktobs@lpss12>DAS commands
jktobs@lpss10>ICS commands before startobssys	
	  GSS>Guide star server  
	    $>any other window eg: xgterm

Getting Ready

Quick Startup

To startup the telescope in the afternoon:

Turn telescope power on (key).
Run oil pumps (green button).
Cancel alarms/reset (little red button "cancel"/little green button next to emergency stop).
Switch to Computer mode (turn key).

You are now ready to go. However, there is the long way:

Shutdown and Startup

The telescope is left by the engineering staff in a "ready to go" status. However, its always good to know how to turn the thing on/off. It's the best way to solve a problem.

Shutting down the Systems

Follow this order...

ICS:


	SYS>shutdownobssys

Do you want to wipe out the system? (y/n): y

...wait...

	SYS>cleanup

could go to SUNMICROSYSTEMS prompt, but not needed.

DAS:
```
	TO>shutdownobssys
```
could exit, but not needed.
TCS:
```
	USER>tcsexit
```

Starting up the Systems

Follow this order...

TCS:
Open telnet to lpas1
login:
USERNAME: JKT_LOGIN
PSSWD: on sticker
At next menu type START.
This will bring back the Telescope status display and the USER> prompt

Zeroset.

If the TCS is shut down the telescope needs to be told where it is on startup.

Turn telescope power on (key)
Run oil pumps (green button)
Cancel alarms/reset (little red button "cancel"/little green button next to emergency stop).
In engineering mode (press button) turn rate knobs to green marks.

Drive telescope as follows for <3degrees (buttons).

HA+
DEC+

Type in TCS window:


	USER>zeroset ha tar
	USER>zeroset dec tar

(tar is short for target).

Return to buttons

DEC- (until beep from TCS)
HA- (until beep from TCS)

Put telescope in computer mode. (turn key)

Carrying on

After the Zeroset

ICS:
If at SUNMICROSYSTEMS prompt:
login:
username:jktobs
psswd: on sticker
...wait...
DAS: In orange window:
```
	TO>obssys
```
menu 1 (choose system, 7 at the moment).
menu 2 (choose detector, SiTe 2 option 6).
```
	TO>startobssys
```
In pink window:
```
        login again: 

        username:jktobs

        psswd: on sticker

	jktobs@lpss10>obssys
```
menu 1 (choose system, 7 at the moment).
menu 2 (choose detector, SiTe 2 option 6).
```
	SYS>startobssys
```
tip: you may want to turn the screen saver off. In an open bit of the screen, press the right mouse button. Go to PREFERENCES, MISCELLANEOUS.

Other things that are good to do here:


	SYS>quick

set readout speed to "quick" (120seconds, unwindowed & unbinned).


	SYS>zeroset mainfilt

zeroset the filter wheel

Cryostat.

The cryostat needs to be filled before you begin your observations, and before you leave for bed in the morning. If the weather interferes, and you leave early, please file a fault report to have the cryostat filled in the morning.

Before:

Raise floor. Check everything is clear from edge and that all trip switches are correct (gate, ladder, sliding door) and that the emergency switch on the control is not in.
Put on safety equipment
Unzip black bag.
Insert long thin pipe on the nitrogen tank into cryostat (all the way). It will stay in the cryostat due to a bend in the pipe.
Connect earthing cable to earthing point on the side of the telescope.

Filling up.

If valve one is open (running along pipe) close it. (gas to outside).
Open valve 2 (liquid to gas).
Open valve 3 (liquid to gas regulator).
Open valve 4 (gas down tube to cryostat).
Note: Use valve 3 (regulator) to keep gas pressure below 1bar. Cryostat is full when Nitrogen is pouring out the bottom, you can hear the spatter of liquid on the floor.
Stopping filling.
Close valve 4 (no more gas to cryostat).
Close valve 3 (regulator closed).
Close valve 2 (no more liquid to gas).
Open valve 1 to release gas pressure to outside (loud).

Don't forget to:

Take out pipe, remove earthing cable.
Wheel back nitrogen tank.
Do black bag up
Lower floor. (Until the top of ladder rail is level with the telescope mounting).
Log the filling in the logbook

Dome Seeing

The JKT has a dome seeing problem. To reduce the temp. between the mirror and the outside, open the door to the roof access and door to the dome. This will create a through draft when the dome shutters are open. The best seeing (~0.7arcsec) can be gained when the temp difference is less than 2 degrees.

Beginning Observing

Bias's

To take a bias, on the ICS (lpss10):


	SYS>bias

In "quick" this will take 126sec to readout

For more than one bias:


	SYS>multbias n

where n is the number you want.

(note: the engineering staff will take one bias in the afternoon checks, this will appear in the log).

Reducing the Readout time

Windowing

To reduce the readout time the ccd chip can be windowed. Only the area specified by you will be readout. Eg 1kx1k = 55secs
A window is set on the ICS:
```
	SYS>window 1 xside yside xstart ystart
```
For a 1kx1k window in the middle of the chip which includes the overscan region:
```
	SYS>window 1 1148 1000 1000 500
```
Windowing comes in useful for
Skyflats.
Binning:

This will effectively change the pixel sixe of the detector. The default binning is 1:1, every pixel is used (0.33pix/arcsec). To change this:
```
	SYS>bin 2 2
```
1 pixel becomes 4 (0.66pix/arcsec).
NOTES:
a) The readout speed will default to "standard" (80secs).
b) Define a window before you change the binning.

Viewing the Data

IRAF is the most commonly used task for manipulating data. This can be started by:

Open an xgterm (or change to home dir $>cd in an existing xgterm). This can be done from any window with $>xgterm -sb & , or with the right mouse button PROGRAMS.XGTERM
Start IRAF with
```
	
	$>cl
```
Open an image viewer
```
	cl>!ximtool &
```
Change to the dir where the data is stored
```
	cl>cd /obsdata/jkta/YYYYMMDD
   or   cl>cd /obsdata/jktb/YYYYMMDD
```
There are two jkt data discs (a and b). A directory with todays date is automatically created in the form YYYYMMDD.


        cl>ls

will show what is in the directory, in the form:


	cl>ls
	r000001.fit r000003.fit  r000002.fit
	cl>

Choose a file to display (look at the log if unsure what is what)
```
	cl>display r000001 1
```
Open the ximtool control panel to zoomin/out change colours/intensities etc

To log out of IRAF:


	cl>lo

Sky flats

Open shutters (hold button down until backlit in green)
Open mirror covers (press button once, check no sticking).
Go to a "blank" part of the sky:


	*USER>gocat blankn

where n is a number 1 - 6 from:

Name	RA (B1950)	DEC (B1950)
BLANK1	04 25 46.0	+54 09 03
BLANK2	13 04 33.0	+29 50 49
BLANK3	16 49 42.0	-15 21 00
BLANK4	19 19 09.0	+12 22 05
BLANK5	21 26 54.4	-08 51 41
BLANK6	23 54 08.9	+59 28 18

The saturation level of the SiTe2 is 65535. Sky flats want to have counts around 30000. If you are unsure of the exposure times then set;


 	SYS>window 1 100 100 1000 1000

This sets a 100pix² window, readout ~ 7sec. (note: Clearing takes 12sec).


	SYS>glance 2

This will take a 2 sec exposure and write it to DAS1.fit in /obsdata/jkta(b)/YYYYMMDD Each new glance overwrites the previous glance, nothing is written to the log.


	cl>display DAS1 1

Find the count level (box in bottom right corner of ximtool) and scale your next exposure time accordingly. Don't forget to SET YOUR WINDOW BACK. The full frame is re-invoked with;


	SYS>window 1 0 0 0 0

A flat is started with:


	SYS>skyflat t "your text here"

where t is the exposure in seconds. To find the next exposure time look at the notice board (AJ 105), read from the appropriate readout time, right to left in the evening, left to right in the morning.

When you feel you have enough exposures (3 is good), change to a different filter and repeat. Eg filter,window,glance,window,skyflat,skyflat....


	SYS>filter n

where n is a number 1-6 or the name of the filter (case sensitive) written on the white board.

Tip: Narrowband filters (eg Halpha) need longer exposure times, so start them first in the evening, and last in the morning. Broadband filters are sensitive in UBVRI order (where I is the most sensitive, ie do last). You have ~25 minutes from dust till dark, you need to be on the ball. Remember there is always the morning.

Dome Flats

Instructions for UBVRI dome flats can be found at: http://www.ing.iac.es/~jht/jkt/domeflats.html

Calibrate

To calibrate the pointing:


	USER>calibrate

This will start a seven star interactive calibration. The telescope will move to the first star, which you will need to center in the target on the TV monitor (REF). The TCS prompt will also go into HANDSET mode.

To use the TV:


	SYS> tv on

Turn on TV:

Gain right down
Black power button
TV power button.

Center star:

The cursor keys on the TCS keyboard will allow you to move the stellar image in the TV screen. Once star centered, press the HANDSET key on TCS keyboard. Telescope now goes to the next star. After 7 stars you will be asked:


Where all stars centered? (Y/N)

Answering y will display pointing details which can be added to the logbook.

OR

You can use the last calibration results


	USER>cal last

DON'T forget to put the light path back to the ccd


	SYS>tv off

Catalogues

One at a time:

To add sources to the object catalogue, type at the TCS window


	USER>source name ra ra ra dec dec dec equinox
	USER>add

Then, to send the telescope to the target


	*USER>gocat name

The whole lot:

If you have a file with all your sources (.cat extension) in the form

         name ra ra ra dec dec dec equinox
eg
         sa113 21 42 35.001 00 16 45.99 j2000

You may include the entire catalogue by copying it to /jkt/cat


	$>cp filename.cat /jkt/cat

Then in the TCS window


	USER>inc jkt:[cat]filename.cat

To go to a target


	*USER>gocat sa113

Current targets in the TCS an be displayed with

	
	USER>out term

Focus

There is a NEW script.

Send the telescope to a stellar field (eg a landolt standard) and set the readout speed, and set a window (if desired), now type:


	SYS>focusrun

Answer the prompts:


 
 JKT - Focus script
 
 WARNING - If it breaks, please contact Robert Greimel (greimel@ing.iac.es)
 
           Please make sure that you have selected the window you want.
           If not, just CTRL-C out of this script now
 
Focus start position: 39.75
Focus step size: 0.05
Number of focus steps: 5
Exposure time (s): 10

 setting focus to 39.75 ... exposing ... done
 setting focus to 39.85 ... exposing ... done
 setting focus to 39.90 ... exposing ... done

At the end of the script there will be lines displayed in the form:


	starfocus FOCUS0,FOCUS1,FOCUS2,FOCUS3,FOCUS4 focus=TELEFOCUS 
	          nexposures=5

Cut and paste this into IRAF, and answer the prompts (i.e. flag a few stars in the field with "m" and then quit with "q". IRAF will now calculate the best focus position, and display it in a terminal window.

If you want to do it by hand

Send the focus to a low level (39.65mm) is a good place to start, and work up in 0.05mm steps


	SYS>focus 39.65

take exposure

 
	SYS>glance 10

check focus

 
 	 cl>display DAS1 1; imexam

place cursor over a star and press ``r'' (radial plot). A graph will appear with (hopefully) a near gaussian profile displayed. There are figures displayed along the bottom of the window. The furthest left is the FWHM of the star, times by 0.33 (or 0.66 if bin 2 2) to get an estimate of the seeing.

change focus

 
	SYS>focus 39.70

If you are unsure about your seeing measurement phone one of the other telescopes and confirm the seeing with them. Good seeing for the JKT is 1 - 1.3 arcsecs.

Send telescope to the best focus point......

 
	SYS>focus 39.70

If you want to keep an glance image

 
	SYS>promote

This will move it to a normal run.

Observing

Finally ready to start on your targets/standards. Find a target that has the lowest airmass (compare LST to RA of target, diff as little as possible).

 
	*USER>gocat yourtarget

change to the filter you want

 
	 SYS>filter n

Exposing: For exposures longer than about 120 seconds you need a guide star, without it your target will become smeared across the image.

 
	 SYS>run t ``Your text here''

For multiple exposures


	SYS>multrun n t ``Your text here''

Changing a run once its in motion:

hit cntr-z

Now type one of the following:


	SYS>abort        to kill the exposure
	SYS>finish       to readout the exposure
	SYS>newtime t    to change the exposure time
	SYS>pause        to suspend an exposure
	SYS>resume       to continue with an exposure
	SYS>killmultrun  to kill the multrun

The Auto Guider

The autoguider consists of a mirror surrounding the focal point, and a camera controlled by X and Y probes. A guide star position is found from the GSS ( X/Y probe positions) and monitored by the camera. In good seeing the camera can detect 13th Magnitude stars.

GSS (guide star server).

To find the x / y probe positions:

Open a telnet session to lpvs1


	$>telnet lpvs1

UID:gss
Pswwd:ing_gss

you are now faced with:


Which telescope (WHT, INT or JKT) ?jkt
CCDE  WFCE  CCDW  WFCW
Which instrument ? ccde
$

At the $ prompt:


	$gss
      GSS>config jkt ccde
      GSS>search RA RA RA DEC DEC DEC equinox (of your target)	
      GSS>exit
        $type output.gs

you will then have this displayed:


   GSS - LIST OF GUIDE STAR DATA FOR GIVEN TARGETS
 =====================================================

 Key: * = star, blank = non-star, ? = ambiguous object
 =====================================================

 Target:                      Equinox  PA   Tel  Focus
  0  0  0.00  + 0  0  0.00    J2000.0  0.0  JKT  CCDE      
   Date       Apx     Apy  Vmax  Vmin
 2000.268     0.0     0.0   5.0  12.0

    RA2000       Dec2000     Mag        x         y  
  0  0 13.79  + 0 13 11.78  11.74    17155.    24516.  *
------------------------------------------------------
$ lo
$>

Here the X / Y probe positions are 17155 24516.

To send the probes to that position:


        SYS>autoxy 17155 24516

It you don't fancy typing in all that every time you want a guide star, then you may search a catalog created by you, in the form:


         search RA RA RA DEC DEC DEC equinox

Save this with a .COM extension in /home/jkt. Now open an ftp session to lpvs1, cd to SYS$SYSDEVICE:[GSS.JKT.CCDE], and mput yourfile.COM here. Close the ftp and carry out the above GSS procedure. Instead of typing


         GSS>search RA RA RA DEC DEC DEC equinox

type


         GSS>do yourfile.COM

Note, to print this file you will need to move it to a unix machine (ie ftp to lpvs1 from lpss10).

A/G Problems

If you experience problems with the probes sticking, try commands like "jagreset", "zeroset autox", "zeroset autoy" or reissue the "autoxy x y" command.

Now turn on the autoguider (big red button marked on/off), and the autoguider TV.

To scan for the guide star:


	*USER>field

To acquire the guide star:



	*USER>acquire

Wait for the ``Okay to guide?'' prompt:



	*USER>guide

now tell the telescope to listen to the autoguider by hitting F18 on TCS keyboard or type autoguideon

To stop autoguiding hit F17 or type autoguideoff Then:


	USER>agstop

Other Stuff

Scripts

Scripts can be written to do almost anything. Any command that can be issued at the ICS can be used. Simply edit the script file with # as a comment character and one command per line. Eg

#
filter B
run 40 ``NGC1234 B40''
filter V
run 40 ``NGC1234 V40''
filter R
run 40 ``NGC1234 R40''
filter I
run 40 ``NGC1234 I40''
echo ``finished''
#

To run the script (which will be saved to /home/jktobs)


	SYS>source myscript.csh

Offsetting

Offsetting the telescope can be done by

Press ``Handset'' on the TCS keyboard
Press ``own'' to change the offset increment (arcsec)
Press the cursor keys to offset
Press ``handset'' when finished

Dithering

This can be done by setting a number of ``Apertures.'' Each aperture will offset the telescope by a certain amount. You can define up to 10 apertures as follows:



	USER>enter aperture 1 10 10

This defines aperture 1, and increase in x and y of 10arcsec.

To use this aperture:


	*USER>aperture 1

These commands can be added to a script to create your dithered image.

Zenith Park

To park the telescope at zenith:


	*USER>park zen

Scratch Area

If you want to manipulate your data you need to do it in a scratch partition. cd to /scratch/jkta or b and mkdir todaysdate. cp your data here and do what you want to it.

Jumping

The JKT is prone to jumping in the west (look at the turntable position) especially at high zenith angles. The TCS will beep twice, and the guide star will be lost after the occurrence of a jump. Stop the guiding, send the telescope back to the target, reacquire the guide star and try again (or change target).

Before Bed

Data Tapes

To write the D tape for the ING archive, first put the D tape in the DAT drive, then:


	$>cd /obsdata/jkta/yyyymmdd
	$>fitsinit
answer prompts
	$>fitsout
answer prompts

you can write the C tape (for your records) in the same manner, or you can copy the data to the scratch partition, compress it, and tar it:


	$>cd /obsdata/jkta/yyyymmdd
	$>cp * /scratch/jkta/yyyymmdd
	$>gzip *
	$>tar -cvf /dev/rmt/0n *

Observing Log

The night log can be saved to file file->print->print to file, you can then do what you want with it (print/mail).

Night report form

The night report form will add information to the log (according to the fields you fill in) then save the info to ~lplogs/logdata/yyyy-mm

Fault database

To report a problem to the engineers use the fault database. You could also use this facility to check past faults and remedies.

Feedback Form

At the end of your run please fill out the feedback form.

Morning Activities

Switch the JAG lightpath to CCD to protect sensitive TV system
```
	
	SYS>tv off
```
Turn the TV and Autoguider off
Zenith Park the telescope
```
	*USER>park zen
```
Switch to engineering mode and type acknowledge TCS
```
	USER>ack
```
Close mirror covers
Close dome shutter
Rotate dome to aviod unexpected bad weather
```
	
	USER>dome 235
```
Turn off oil pumps, cancel alarms
Turn off telescope power
Fill out night report form
Start writing tapes
Refill cryostat
Turn off dome lights
Go to bed.

Complaints to Dan Batcheldor