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Engineering
SloDAR
SloDAR (SLOpe Detection And Ranging) uses the light from a double star to
obtain realtime measurements of r0 and the distribution of Cn^2.
SloDAR is situated at the 'optical science port' behind the glass plate on
which the pickoff mirror moves.
It comprises a collimator, lenslet array and firewire CCD camera.
See Richard Wilson's page SloDAR at the WHT.
Setup and Use
From the camera the firewire cable connects to the first firewire connector
in in the bottom back of the PC. Once you connected the cable turn on the
camera, there is a switch on the back, two led's (green and red) go on. Make
sure the PC is connected to the network. Now switch on the computer and login
as user 'slodar'. After successful login turn the monitor off.
In the control room, use the PC above NAVIS, the black keyboard and mouse.
Start the program VNC from the desktop. (NOTE: if you see that there is a VNC
session open, close it first)
- A small window will come up, enter the password.
- Now you are in the desktop of the computer in GRACE. The program to run
is a green snake SLODAR.
- Two windows come up; the big acquisition window (wider than the PC screen,
thus you will have to scroll to centre the images later) and the small control
window with the two bottoms for Acquire and Quit.
- Include catalogue 'slodar.cat'.
- Move to object e.g. 'slodar60', to get both stars vertical aligned on the
acquisition camera e.g. 'rot sky at 221.9' for slodar60, best telescope focus
is 98.32mm.
- Centre the pair so both stars have the same distance from the reference
position on the acquisition TV.
- Move the acquisition TV out.
- On the PC acquisition window tweak rotation to make lines of spots in left
and right images at approx same y (<< sepn of rows in y).
Centre the two binaries (scroll horizontal) and press ACQUIRE in the small
control windows.
- This takes 6 exposures of about 30 seconds each. Between the exposures you
can see the spots freezing. If there is time available you may take another
set of exposures.
- If you have any chance do it again during the night.
- Please email jcg@ing.iac.es of the
outcome.
If you need advice when running SloDAR in evening twilight you may call
Juan Carlos Guerra, his telephone number is 636 479 871.