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Observatory Status

Siding Spring Observatory - NSW, Australia

COJ
Networking problem since
2023-12-11

Clamshell
2m
MuSCAT3 (mc04)
FLOYDS (en12)
0.4m A
QHY600 (sq36)
0.4m B
Axis problem
QHY600 (sq37)
Dome A
1m
Sinistro (fa12)
Dome B
1m
Sinistro (fa19)

Wise Observatory - Israel

TLV

Dome A
1m
NRES (nres-agu-ak15)
NRES Igloo

SAAO - Sutherland, South Africa

CPT

Dome A
1m
Sinistro (fa14)
Dome B
1m
Sinistro (fa01)
NRES (nres-agu-ak06)
Dome C
1m
Sinistro (fa06)
NRES (nres-agu-ak05)
Aqawan A
0.4m A
QHY600 (sq38)
0.4m B
FLI PL230 (ff13,14,15,16)
ASAS-SN
NRES Igloo

Teide Observatory - Tenerife, Spain

TFN

Dome A
1m
Sinistro (fa20)
Dome B
1m
Sinistro (fa11)
Aqawan A
0.4m A
DeltaRho commissioning
QHY600 (sq32)
0.4m B
QHY600 (sq33)

CTIO - Region IV, Chile

LSC

Dome A
1m
Sinistro (fa15)
Dome B
1m
Sinistro (fa04)
NRES (nres-agu-ak17)
Dome C
1m
Sinistro (fa03)
NRES (nres-agu-ak02)
Aqawan A
0.4m A
SBIG (kb98)
0.4m B
Mount issues
FLI PL230 (ff05,06,07,08)
Aqawan B
0.4m A
Focus unit issues since 2023-11-30
SBIG (kb85)
0.4m B
FLI PL230 (ff09,10,11,12)
NRES Igloo

McDonald Observatory - Texas, USA

ELP

Dome A
1m
Sinistro (fa05)
NRES (nres-agu-ak16)
Dome B
1m
Sinistro (fa16)
NRES (nres-agu-ak18)
NRES AGU fault
Aqawan A
0.4m A
QHY600 (sq31)
0.4m B
FLI PL230 (ff17,18,19,20)
ASAS-SN
NRES Igloo

Haleakala Observatory - Maui, USA

OGG

Clamshell
2m
MuSCAT3 (mc03)
Updating focus since 2023-11-23
FLOYDS (en06)
0.4m A
FLI PL230 (ff01,02,03,04)
0.4m B
SBIG (kb27)
0.4m C
QHY600 (sq39)
Operational
Offline

Network-wide:

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.

16 Jun 2023: The Exposure Time Calculator (ETC) has been updated to include the new DeltaRho telescopes with QHY600 cameras. The new ETC also includes updated zero points, based on measurements from actual data, for each telescope class.


Siding Spring

4 Dec 2023: The 1-meter telescope in Dome B is available for science observations again.

3 Dec 2023: TThe 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.

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.

14 Aug 2023: The 0m4a Meade telescope (with kb26 SBIG) is being replaced by a DeltaRho telescope (with QHY600 camera). The telescope is unavailable for science observations until telescope/camera commissioning is completed.

28 Jun - 19 Jul 2023: Images from the Spectral camera (fs01) on the 2m telescope were not getting processed by the BANZAI pipeline because of a change made to the image dimensions (TRIMSEC).

20 Jun 2023: The focus mechanism on the guide camera (ef09) on the 1m telescope in Dome A is broken. Guided observations are not possible with this telescope until the mechanism is fixed.

16 Jun 2023: The fa12 Sinistro camera is available for science observations again.

7 Jun 2023: The shutter in the fa12 Sinistro camera is intermittently obscuring images. This camera is not available for science observations while the problem is investigated.

9-11 May 2023: The Spectral imager on the 2-meter telescope warmed up. The camera was taken offline for three nights.

Wise

15 Aug 2023: The problem with the telescope was an electrical limit switch that was triggered during maintenance work. The problem has been fixed.

10 Aug 2023: A problem (with the telescope mount?) is preventing the telescope from moving freely. The problem is under investigation.

18-21 May 2023: A problem with the compressor in the cooling system kept the NRES unit offline.

Sutherland

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.

14-15 Aug 2023: The fiber connection to the SAAO has been severed.

9-12 Jun 2023: The focus mechanism on the 1m telescope in Dome C became unreliable. This telescope was unavailable for science observations while the problem was investigated.

31 May 2023: Power to the SAAO has been restored. Instrument recovery/check-out procedures are in progress.

29 May 2023: Lightning strikes have triggered a power outage at the SAAO. We have no communication to the site, and no observations are possible until observatory power is restored.

5 May 2023: Science validation observations with the 0m4a telescope (sq38 QHY camera) are underway.

4 May 2023: The NRES spectrograph is available for science observations!

2 May 2023: The 1m telescope in Dome C is available for science observations, but unfortunately, the telescope in Dome B is having difficulty tracking and has been taken offline.

1 May 2023: The 1m telescopes in Domes A & B are available for science observations.

Teide

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 Aug 2023: An inspection of the site at Teide Observatory revealed that there's been no fire damage to LCO assets.

23 Aug 2023: The evacuation order has been lifted. The site is covered with ash, and the domes remain closed to protect the optics and electronics.

18 Aug 2023: Teide Observatory staff have been evacuated because of the fire. Operations at Teide Observatory have ceased until the site can be recovered.

17 Aug 2023: Smoke and ash from the approaching Arafo-Candelaria Fire has closed the observatory. Science operations are suspended.

11-14 Jul 2023: The fa20 Sinistro camera (on the telescope in Dome A) was warming-up during the daytime, when ambient temperatures were > 25 C.

8 May 2023: The 0m4a telescope isn't maintaining focus and has been taken offline.

Cerro Tololo

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.

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.

25 Sep 2023: LCO has been granted limited internet access to CTIO again.

4 Aug 2023: Due to a cyberattack on the Gemini Observatories, the internet connection to CTIO was shut down as a preventive measure. The LCO telescopes should continue observations according to the last schedule that was sent from LCO HQ, however, we cannot monitor observations in real time.

1 Aug 2023: The CTIO site staff has replaced the focus assembly in the 0m4a telescope in Aqawan A. On-sky testing has begun.

24 Jul 2023: The 0m4a telescope in Aqawan A has lost collimation again. No science observations are possible while the problem is under investigation.

McDonald

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.

29 Aug 2023: The Dome B 1m telescope, with the fa16 Sinistro camera, is now available for science observations.

24-25 Aug 2023: A power supply failed, making the two 1-meter telescopes inoperable.

13-18 Aug 2023: A science+engineering team was on-site. The encoders on the telescopes in Dome A & B have been upgraded.

1 Aug 2023: The fa16 Sinistro camera has been installed on the Dome B telescope, in place of the defunct fa07. Camera check-out is in progress.

19 Jun 2023: The 0m4a (DeltaRho) telescope is available for science observations.

3 Jun 2023: Commissioning of the recollimated DeltaRho telescope, with the sq31 camera, is in-progress.

1 Jun 2023: The fa07 Sinistro camera on the 1-meter telescope in Dome B has malfunctioned. This imager is not available for science observations, but observations with NRES will continue on this telescope.

29 May 2023: An LCO engineer has arrived on site to improve the collimation of the 0m4a telescope. The sq31 camera replaced sq32 on that telescope.

Haleakala

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.

25 Aug 2023: The 0m4c (DeltaRho) telescope, with the sq39 camera, is available for science observations again.

13 Aug 2023: Power has been restored to the observatory site. Operations commence tonight.

10 Aug 2023: The wildfires have spread to urban and residential areas of Maui. We do not know the status of the observatory site.

8 Aug 2023: High winds (Hurricane Dora is south of the Hawaiian Islands) have knocked-out power to the observatory. Several wildfires in the area are getting fanned by the winds.

21 Jul 2023: The computer that controls the 0m4c (DeltaRho) telescope has failed. This telescope is not available for science observations until the computer is replaced.

19-20 Jul 2023: The site was closed, and hardware was protected to resist the onslaught of Tropical Storm Calvin.

17-18 Jul 2023: Power outage on Haleakala! No observations were possible.

5 May 2023: This is the first night that the Haleakala site is operating with the newly-installed weather system.