Closing Procedures

3. Checklist for Closing Down

1.   Before closing up, include a finding chart for your star in the directory where you've been saving the star's images. Whatever image you used to find your source, save a copy of it in your directory, and somehow mark the star of interest in that image.
2.   In the object directory, save a text file where you specify what x,y CCD position your star is at in a particular image, and say which image that x,y was measured in. This helps a lot to know what you were observing!
3.   If you successfully took darks, biases, and flats, make a sub-directory in the CalibrationFrames folder with the date. Copy your darks, biases, and flats (copy, don't cut---you want the calibration frames in two places: the science image directory and the calibration frame directory).
4.   In warm room: In Maxim DL, in the CCD Control Window, find that under Setup tab. Then click Cooler Off and then Warm Up. You'll want to wait until the CCD is back around 0 deg before turning off the CCD.
5.   While the CCD is warming up, in warm room, in ACE under the Telescope tab, move telescope to Mirror Cover Park.
6.   In warm room or dome: move dome to azimuth of 85--90 degrees (so mirror cover holder is aligned with telescope and ladder)
7.   In dome: put cover back on telescope. You may have to hit it hard.
8.   In dome: close dome shutter by pushing and holding down the "Close" button on the big grey box.
9.   In warm room: Fill out the end-of-night form.
10.   In warm room: Once CCD is warmed up, turn the heater off and click "Disconnect" in Maxim DL.
11.   In dome: unplug the power strip by the desk.
12.   In warm room: Exit from Maxim DL.
13.   In warm room: Log out of ACE and Exit ACE.
14.   In warm room: Log out of both computers.
15.   In warm room: If it's going to be a while before someone comes back out to the observatory, you might also shut down the computers.
16.   On your way out, make sure the warm room door is locked and all the lights are out. Also make sure observatory door is locked.

Did you fill out the end-of-night form?

Note: The ladder really shouldn't need to be moved inside the dome. While you are observing and before you leave for the night, make sure the ladder is parked under the big grey box (where it would be if you were removing/replacing mirror cover).