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WORKING WITH CANARY
CANARY is an open-loop Adaptive Optics system which will use multiple laser guide stars and deformable mirrors and will provide the first on-sky test of combined wide-field LGS tomography and open-loop AO control. On-sky validation of these combined techniques will be performed with the goal of emulating a single channel of the proposed E-ELT MOAO instrument, EAGLE, albeit at 1/10th scale.
Startup
There are no cryostats to fill!

TCS:
  • USER> INSTRUMENT CANARY
  • USER> STATION GHRIL_CANARY
  • USER> AGSELECT CANARY
  • Zeroset Rot, AZ and ALT (as usual)
  • USER> CAL LAST
  • USER> FOCUS 98.0 (09/06/2014) (was 99.0 (23/05/2013) and 98.9 (04/10/2012))
The Nasmyth flat should be in GHRIL position. If this needs to be moved, the telescope should be at zenith with the petals closed. It takes about 3 minutes to change focal station. Check that everything is in position with:
  • USER> SHOW FOCAL
If the Nasmyth flat is still moving, it will say "unknown optical configuration"

Preparation

Telescope focus:
It's safe to start with the nominal focus, and then make adjustments if the CANARY team request them.

Rotator centre and Calibrate Procedure:
CANARY recently started using the GHRIL optical derotator. The useful range of motion for CANARY (June 2014) is between mount PA's 0 and 180. Note that changing the Sky PA by 180 degrees changes the derotator by only 90 degrees.

Autoguiding

The Autoguider to TCS selection switch should be in position CANARY (position no.5). When autoguiding is used the CANARY system will send autoguiding packets to the TCS. This should be visible on the encoders page. There is no need to find a guide star as it is self-guided. To start guiding:
  • USER>: AUTO ON 50 50

Observing

  • Check that the GHRIL derotator is within range (0 < Mount PA < 180) (June 2014), so start with Mount PA 90 then do "rot float".
  • Apply their given X Y offset using the HANDSET.
  • Enable autoguiding as explained above.
  • Normally targets will be above 60deg in elevation.
  • It is also useful to open the Laser Traffic Control System webpage to monitor any beam collisions with the other telescopes. This system automatically inserts the beam dump if the laser crosses the beam with a telescope that has right of way.
Data Handling

The CANARY team will handle their own data.
Troubleshooting

GHRIL Optical Derotator:
If the GHRIL derotator fails to move under computing and engineering control its power supply may have been tripped. This is located in the blue nasmyth rack in the WHT control room. Near the bottom there are two units, a Power Distribution Unit and a Power Supply Unit. The Power Supply Unit is the power source for the GHRIL derotator. If the lights on this unit are off the power to it has tripped. Check that the mains breaker on the Power Distribution Unit above is on and the mains light is lit. If not, switch to engineering mode and reset the breaker. The derotator should then be able to move.


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Contact:  (Observing Support Assistants)
Last modified: 13 July 2014