COJ
UPS IT issue since
TLV
CPT
Weather station since
2024-04-22
TFN
LSC
ELP
OGG
6 Mar 2024: We have switched BANZAI back to a version that uses SEP. The newer version with photutils worked slower than expected, and at times of high volume, the pipeline would back up. We will re-deploy the photutils version after we've streamlined the code.
22 Feb 2024: The BANZAI pipeline now uses astropy's photutils package for source extraction and photometry instead of SEP. Also, the source catalogs (i.e. the CAT extensions of the FITS files) now include saturated sources, which are flagged with a value of 4.
4 Dec 2023: The Visibility Tool has been updated with the ability to look up the coordinates of catalogue targets. Also, the dates for seasonal and daily visibility can now be selected from a calendar.
2 Nov 2023: A software bug caused some images to be acquired with poor focus. We know of affected images from our sites in Chile (LSC), Texas (ELP), Maui (OGG), and Australia (COJ). If you have unusable out-of-focus data from this night, please contact science-support@lco.global.
18 Apr 2024: We have worked out a way to operate the site safely without requiring comms to the UPS. We are resuming science operations.
12 Apr 2024: We've lost communication with the facility's Uninterruptible Power Supply. For the safety of our hardware, we are keeping the site closed until the UPS can be inspected and comms restored. (The weather is bad, anyway.)
29 Mar 2024: The computer controlling the sq37 camera (on the 0m4b telescope) continues to behave erratically, which interrupt operations. The telescope had been taken offline until the problem is diagnosed and fixed.
21-24 Mar 2024: Cameras on the MuSCAT4 imager and the guide camera for the FLOYDS spectrograph warmed-up. The cooling system for these instruments was replaced, and the cameras are working again.
5 Mar 2024: The 1-meter telescope in Dome B is available for science observations again.
29 Feb 2024: New encoders have been installed on the telescopes in Dome B. This telescope will be offline until testing of the encoders is complete.
28 Feb 2024: The telescope in Dome A is available again.
25 Feb 2024: Some unknown power problem has knocked out the telescope in Dome A. No observations are possible until the problem can be investigated.
21 Feb 2024: The optical tube assembly, which moves the secondary mirror, of the 1-meter telescope in Dome A went offline. Science observations weren't possible on this night.
29 Jan 2024: The FLOYDS shutter was repaired and science observations are possible again.
24 Jan 2024: A problem with the shutter on the FLOYDS spectrograph has taken this instrument offline. Only MuSCAT4 observations are possible on the 2-meter telescope until the shutter can be repaired.
2-4 Jan 2024: The 1-meter telescope in Dome A was unavailable while the cryo system for the fa12 Sinistro camera underwent maintenance.
4 Dec 2023: The 1-meter telescope in Dome B is available for science observations again.
3 Dec 2023: The 0m4b telescope (sq37 camera)
17 Nov 2023: The focus mechanism on the secondary mirror of the 2-meter telescope was stuck. Observations with the 2-meter telescope were suspended for the night.
14 Nov 2023: A problem with the electronics controlling the shutter and filterwheel for the fa19 camera has taken the Dome B telescope offline.
3-4 Nov 2023: A bushfire close to the Observatory forced all personnel to be evacuated, and all telescope domes were closed.
25 Oct 2023: The 0m4b telescope (with the sq37 camera) is now available for science observations.
19 Oct 2023: MuSCAT4 is released for science observations.
10-12 Oct 2023: A disk failure in the site's core computer prevented all telescopes from making science observations. (On Oct 11 & 12, the weather wasn't great, anyway.)
7 Oct 2023: The FLOYDS spectrograph is available for science observations again.
4 Oct 2023: MuSCAT4 has been attached to the 2-meter telescope.
1 Oct 2023: The Spectral camera has been removed, and the 2-meter telescope is no longer available for science observations while the MuSCAT4 instrument is installed.
30 Sep 2023: The Spectral camera on the 2-meter telescope is no longer available for observations.
27 Sep 2023: The 0m4a telescope is available for science observations again.
22 Sep 2023: The 0m4a telescope is not pointing correctly and has been taken offline.
19 Sep 2023: The 0m4b telescope (with the kb83 camera) has been removed. It will be replaced by a DeltaRho telescope.
18 Sep 2023: The 0m4a (DeltaRho!) telescope, with the sq36 QHY600 camera, is now available for science observations.
28 Feb - 3 Mar 2024: Communications are getting blocked, preventing the observing schedule from updating. The IT teams at LCO and Wise Observatory are diagnosing the problem.
22 Apr 2024: A power supply on our weather station has failed. Observations are not possible until the weather station is restored.
14 Feb 2024: The NRES spectrograph is available for science observations again!
28 Sep 2023: After several days of correspondence with the NOIRLab's IT department, we have a secure and stable internet connection to the site. It will take several days for us to check out our computers and telescopes before we can resume science operations.
9 Feb 2024: The telescope in Dome C is available for science observations again. The NRES spectrograph is still not available.
6 Feb 2024: Another power outage! Several problems will need to be fixed before full science operations are restored. The telescope in Dome C is offline.
4 Feb 2024: Site recovery following yesterday's power outage. Not all telescopes/instruments are available tonight.
3 Feb 2024: Power outage at the SAAO. No observations are possible.
27 Jan 2024: The NRES unit underwent erratic temperature regulation and was shut down. The spectrograph will be enabled again when it has cooled and stabilized.
19 Dec 2023: The ef02 guide camera on the telescope in Dome A is offline because of a power problem. Guided observations with this telescope is not possible until this problem can be investigated.
12 Dec 2023: The NRES spectrograph is available for science observations again.
2 Dec 2023: The temperature in the NRES igloo is unstable. The spectrograph is unavailable until it is cool and stable again.
13 Sep 2023: The NRES spectrograph is available again on the Dome C telescope. (It was offline because of a power outage on September 11.)
7-8 Sep 2023: There was a break in the fiber to the SAAO.
27 Mar 2024: Dome B is not opening/closing properly. This telescope is not available for science observations until the problem with the dome is understood and fixed.
25 Mar 2024: Teide Observatory has re-opened.
22 Mar 2024: Teide Observatory is closed because of a snowstorm.
14 Mar 2024: We've lost communications with the focus unit in the 0m4b telescope. This telescope is unavailable for science observations until we figure out the problem.
10 Dec 2023: The 0m4a telescope (sq32 camera) is now available for science observations.
6 Dec 2023: The 0m4b telescope (with the sq33 camera) is available for science observations again.
1 Dec 2023: We've lost communications with the sq33 camera on the 0m4b telescope. No science observations are possible until comms are restored.
27 Nov 2023: The Dome B telescope is available for science observations again.
20 Nov 2023: The upper shutter on Dome B is not moving. The Teide staff have closed the dome manually. The 1-meter telescope in Dome B is not available for science observations until the shutter is fixed.
12 Nov 2023: The sq33 QHY600 camera, on the 0m4b telescope, is available for science observations.
11 Nov 2023: The engineering work has concluded. The telescopes in Dome A & B are available for science observations again.
6 Nov 2023: The sq32 QHY600 camera was installed on the 0m4a DeltaRho telescope. The sq33 QHY600 camera was installed on the 0m4b DeltaRho telescope. Commissioning is in progress.
1 Nov 2023: The upper shutter on Dome A was stuck open last night. The motor that drives the shutter is being examined. This telescope is unavailable for science observations until the shutter mechanism works properly.
30 Oct 2023: An engineering team has arrived at the site. The 0.4m telescopes are offline; they will be replaced by DeltaRho telescopes this week.
25 Sep 2023: The 1-meter telescope in Dome A is now available for science observations.
20 Sep 2023: The fa11 Sinistro camera (on the Dome B telescope) and the kb24 SBIG camera (on the 0m4b telescope) are now available for science observations.
13 Sep 2023: Post-wildfire, post-wildfire-cleanup tests of telescopes begin.
25 Mar 2024: The NRES spectrograph is available for science observations again.
20 Mar 2024: The 0.4-meter telescope in Aqawan A, with the new sq34 camera, is available for science observations.
19 Mar 2024: The 1-meter telescope in Dome C is available for science observations.
18 Mar 2024: The maintenance trip continues, but the first telescope is available for science observations again. It's the 0.4m telescope in Aqawan B, with the new sq35 QHY600 camera.
10 Mar 2024: The maintenance trip is in full swing. The telescope in Dome B has been taken offline to service the camera (fa04) and install the new mirror cover. No science observations (except for ASAS-SN) are currently possible from this site.
6 Mar 2024: The LCO engineering team has arrived on site. A number of observing resources have been taken offline:
19 Feb 2024: The fa15 Sinistro camera (Dome A telescope) is available for science observations again.
13 Feb 2024: The 1-meter telescopes in Domes B & C were unavailable on this night because of an IT problem.
11 Feb 2024: The fa15 Sinistro camera warmed-up again and is unavailable for science observations.
2-5 Feb 2024: More problems with the Aqawan A enclosure. Observations with these telescopes were suspended.
30 Jan 2024: The fa15 Sinistro camera (on the 1m telescope in Dome A) warmed-up and was unavailable for a night.
26 Jan 2024: Because of a problem with the shutters on Aqawan A, observations with the telescopes inside this enclosure were suspended for the night.
8 Dec 2023: The 0m4a telescope in Aqawan A is available for science observations again.
30 Nov 2023: Now the focus mechanism on the 0m4a telescope in Aqawan B has malfunctioned, and this telescope is unavailable for science observations.
17 Nov 2023: The focus mechanism of the 0m4a telescope in Aqawan A appears to be stuck at a limit. This telescope is unavailable for science observations until the problem can be investigated.
5 Oct 2023: The 1-meter telescope in Dome B is now available for science observations.
2 Oct 2023: The 1-meter telescopes in Dome A and Dome C have started science observations.
30 Sep 2023: The 0m4a telescope in Aqawan A has started science observations.
29 Sep 2023: The 0m4a telescope in Aqawan B has commenced science observations.
25 Sep 2023: LCO has been granted limited internet access to CTIO again.
25 Mar 2024: Power to the guide camera on the Dome B telescope has been restored, but there are still problems with the power supplies. Guided observations are possible again. The power supply will be replaced next week.
15 Mar 2024: Our full bandwidth to the site has been restored, but power strips in Dome B have malfunctioned, which will prevent us from making observations with this telescope.
13-14 Mar 2024: An unknown IT problem has crushed our bandwidth to/from the site, and observations were not possible on these nights.
29 Feb 2024: The focus of the guide camera on the Dome A telescope is unstable. Until this camera can be replaced or repaired, observations that require guiding will be scheduled on other telescopes.
19-20 Feb 2024: The computer controlling the NRES spectrograph was offline because of a failed power supply.
22 Jan 2024: The core computer has been replaced, and the telescopes are operational again. (Unfortunately, the weather is still bad.)
14 Jan 2024: The site's core computer is damaged. Observations are suspended until the computer can be repaired. (Weather is awful, so we wouldn't be observing anyway.)
18 Dec 2023: The fa08 Sinistro camera is available for science observations on the Dome B telescope.
17 Dec 2023: The fa16 Sinistro camera is now available for science observations on the 1-meter telescope in Dome A.
10 Dec 2023: A team has arrived on site to address multiple maintenance tasks. The fa05 Sinistro camera will be removed from the 1-meter telescope in Dome A.
30 Nov 2023: The NRES spectrograph is available for science observations using the feed from the telescope in Dome A.
27 Sep 2023: Dome A has been repaired, and the 1-meter telescope is available for science observations again.
12 Sep 2023: The upper shutter on Dome A got stuck and wouldn't close when clouds rolled in. (Thanks to the McDonald Observatory staff for covering the 1m telescope with tarps in the middle of the night!!!) The Dome A telescope will remain offline until the upper shutter problem can be diagnosed and fixed. BUT ... the Dome B telescope is now available for science observations again.
8 Sep 2023: A new controller for the fa16 camera has been installed (to remove the intermittent banding). The camera is unavailable for science observations until testing is complete.
5 Sep 2023: Images from the fa16 Sinistro camera (on the Dome B telescope) intermittently show banding structure in the lower half.
20-22 Mar 2024: There was a fault with the hydraulic system that supports the 2-meter telescope.
17 Mar 2024: The 0m4c telescope, with the sq40 QHY600 camera, is available for science observations.
15 Feb 2024: The 0m4b DeltaRho telescope, with the sq30 QHY600 camera, is now available for science observations.
20 Jan 2024: Science observations with the 2-meter telescope have resumed.
12 Jan 2024: Our site manager reports: "The storm has impacted the site and utility power is offline. Our generator is currently running to allow the site to be accessed remotely. The Hawaiian Electric are investigating the outage but we are told to '... make arrangements for an extended outage.'"
8 Jan 2024: The site has been secured to face the threat of the impending storm. Observations are suspended until the storm passes.
12 Dec 2023: The DeltaRho telescopes have been installed in the clamshell.
10 Dec 2023: Focus on the MuSCAT3 cameras has been improved, and the instrument is available for science observations again.
7 Dec 2023: The 0m4 telescopes have been powered down so that the electrical panels can be upgraded. These telescopes will be unavailable for several nights.
3 Dec 2023: The storm has passed, and the site is open again. The MuSCAT3 camera is still offline. The narrow-band filters have been installed, but the camera focus must be improved before science observations commence.
30 Nov 2023: The Haleakala site has been closed and secured because of the threat from the Kona Storm.
25 Nov 2023: MuSCAT3 has been removed from the 2-meter telescope so that narrow-band filters can be installed. FLOYDS is still available for science observations.
13-16 Oct 2023: A problem with the oil system (Friday the 13th strikes!) kept the 2-meter telescope offline.