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Isaac Newton Group, La Palma

A User Guide

to the

INT Prime Focus CCD

J.V.Wall R.A.Laing R.W.Argyle R.E.Wallis

Wed Mar 16 03:16:03 GMT 1994 Version 1.0

• Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• A GUIDE TO OBSERVING
  • INTRODUCTION
    • What CCDs are and how they work
    • Operational requirements
    • Limitations, Extra Observations, and the First Stages of Analysis
  • WHICH CHIP? WHICH FOCUS?
  • EXPOSURE TIME?
    • Signal-to-noise
    • Time limits
  • WHAT EXTRA OBSERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED?
    • Bias Frames
    • Flat Fields
    • Dark counts
  • PREPARATION FOR OBSERVING
    • Filters
    • Zeroing the main telescope and the finder
    • Telescope and autoguider focus
  • OPERATING THE TELESCOPE
    • Acquisition
    • Autoguiding
    • To check and correct the INT prime focus geometry
  • OBSERVING: A RECIPE
  • ON-LINE HELP
• SOFTWARE COMMANDS FOR THE CCD CAMERA
  • INTRODUCTION
  • STARTING AND FINISHING
    • Logging in
    • Initialisation operations
    • SEN(D) CON: - Interrupting Adam
    • SHUTDOWN - Shut down the system
  • CCD CONTROL COMMANDS
    • GLA(NCE)/GFILE - A trial exposure
    • RU(N) - The primary exposure command
    • DARK - Perform a Dark-Count exposure
    • PA(USE)/CONT(INUE)/STO(P)/ABO(RT)-Run control
    • RUNSTAT(US)/TIM(E)- How long to go?
    • TEL(E) - System Telemetry
    • CCDINIT/RESET(CCD) - Re-initialisation
    • OP(EN)/CLO(SE) - Shutter control
    • CLE(AR)/NOCL(EAR)/EXPO(SE)/REA(D)
    • QFL(ASH)/SETFLA(SH)/FL(ASH) - Pre-flash control
    • FOCUS - Perform an automatic focus run
    • MULTEXP - Perform a multiple exposure on a single frame
    • MULTRUN - Perform several exposures each on a seperate frame
    • KILLMULT(RUN) - Abort a MULTRUN
    • CALR(UN) - Perform a calibration run
    • FLATF(IELD) - Performs a flat field run
    • MULTBIAS - Takes and averages bias frames
  • LEXIDATA DISPLAY OPERATIONS
    • DIS(P) - Display an image
    • QDI(PARM)/DIP(ARM) - Enquire and alter display parameters
    • PHOT(OM) - Simple statistics and profile utilities
    • MOVESTAR - Put an object on to a specified area of the chip
    • STARFIT - Fit Gaussian profiles to stellar images
  • DATA FILE CONTROL
    • Image storage
    • NEXTR(UN) - Change next Run number
    • OBSN(AME) - Change Observer's initials
    • KEE(P)/STO(RE)/REC(ALL) - Image file handling
    • COMM(ENT) - Add comments to the data archive
    • COPY - Copy one image to another
    • PURGE/DELETE - Delete run files from disk
    • DEPROTECT - Deprotect the GLANCE file
    • DAT(A) - Redefine the dump device
    • TAP(E)
    • FITSINIT/FITSDIR/FITSOUT/FITSIN/FITSCOPY - FITS tape facilities
    • DSPACE - Enquire available disk space for data
    • CCDSPACE -Check room on the disk for CCD images
  • MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS
    • QCH(IP)/CH(IP) - Enquire and alter chip type
    • QWIN(DOW)/WIN(DOW)/DEF_WINDOW - Enquire and alter readout window
    • BIN/UNBIN - On-chip binning
    • QFI(LES) - Determine current image and dump device
    • HELP CCD - Give help on CCD software
    • NOPACKETS/PACKETS - Disable/enable writing of archive packets
  • SELECTED DATA PROCESSING FACILITIES
    • PEE(P)/STATS
    • ADD/SUB/DIV/MUL(T) - Image/image arithmetic
    • CAD(D)/CSU(B)/CDI(V)/CMU(LT)-Image/scalar arithmetic
    • SQEL/EXTR(ACT) - Sub-image extraction
    • IMAGPLOT - Plot an image on the Line Printer
    • CHFORM - Change formats
    • STATS - Analyse an image file
    • FF - Flat fielding
    • HELP UTIL - Where to find further information
• PRIME FOCUS SOFTWARE COMMANDS
  • CONTROL OF THE PRIME FOCUS UNIT
    • PFST(ATUS) - Status of the prime focus unit
    • PFCUINIT - Initialisation of the prime focus unit
    • ROTPOS - Move the instrument rotator
    • GDX(POS), GDY(POS), GDXY(POS) - Move the autoguider probe
    • GDFOC(POS) - Change the autoguider focus position
    • RESETTV - Send global status to TV
    • TVD(ISPFZ)/TVG(ETFZ)/TVSETFZ - Finder zero points
    • TVSETSCALE - Reset finder TV scales
    • SETGDFOCUS - Compensate autoguider focus for filters
    • SETGDFOC(US) DISABLE - Disable automatic autoguider focus
    • STARTMIMIC - Reset Mimic display
  • FILTERS
    • FILT(ER) - Change filter
    • FILTST(ATUS) - Filter wheel status
    • CCDFINIT - Initialise filter wheel software
    • WHE(EL) - Select a filter wheel or input parameters for a new one
    • EDITWHEEL - Edits the current wheel parameters
    • QWHE(EL) - List the current wheel and the range of available wheels
  • FOCUS COMMANDS
    • FOC(US) - Make a focus exposure
    • SETFOC(US) - Compensate telescope focus for filter change
    • SETFOC(US) DISABLE - Disable automatic telscope focus change
    • GETF - List the current telescope focus to the Adam terminal
    • FOCINC - Change focus step size
    • OFFSET - Change telescope step size
    • HELP PFCU - Where to find further information
• Appendix A : Photometric standards
  • UBVRI magnitudes and Positions of Kitt Peak Photometric Standards (Equinox 1950.0)
  • UBVRI magnitudes and Positions of RGO Photometric Standards (Equinox 2000.0)
• Appendix B : Photometric sequences
• Appendix C : Cryostat description
  • Thermal properties
  • A description of the liquid nitrogen filling process
  • Topping up
  • Routine operation
  • Using the 75 litre dewar.
  • Further notes
• Appendix D : Notes for software support
  • Reconfiguring the control software for Prime Focus
  • Pointing
• Appendix E : Extinction
  • Introduction
  • Calculated Extinction Curve
  • Correction for Dust Extinction
• Appendix F : Filters for use with the CCD cameras on La Palma
  • Introduction
  • Mounting CCD filters
  • Kitt Peak Interference Filters (BVRI)
  • RGO Glass Broad Band Filters (UBVRIZ)
  • RGO Interference Filters
  • Calculation of Focus Offsets
  • Calculation of Central Wavelength
    • Change due to uncollimated light
    • Change due to temperature
  • Some comments
  • Filter Transmission Scans
• Appnedix G : Filter & chip spectral-response curves for La Palma
• Appendix H : Blank Areas of Sky for Flat Fields
• Appnedix I : FITS - data transfer routines
  • Introduction
  • Loading and unloading tapes
  • FITSINIT
  • FITSOUT
  • FITSIN
  • FITSCOPY
  • FITSDIR
  • DESCR
  • HELP FITS
• Appendix J : Glossary of commands
• Index