Harvard University Astronomy Lab and Clay Telescope

Telescope Opening and Closing Procedure

Telescope Opening Procedure

1) Turn on Power strip behind Telescope PC
2) Turn on PC (front switch on big blue box, not in the back)
3) Log in
4) Open TCS (double click on TCS desktop icon)
5) Disable Auto-dome in TCS
         - Telescope --> Misc -->Switches – change dome to “off”
         - Click Apply, TCS should reflect the change
6) Turn on Motor Driver Chassis (red switch on front of the Telescope PC)
7) Hit the Halt Motors Button (square red button on front of the Telescope PC)
         ** Immediately check the TCS display to make sure the Zenith Dist (top right) is not changing significantly! If it is then Halt Motors and turn off Motor Driver Chassis, then see Trouble shooting.
8) Go to Dome – telescope should be operational

In Dome

1) Turn on power strip behind the desk
2) Open dome slit
         - Plug in dome control to hanging cord, slide the side metal latch and push the control the opposite way
         - Unplug power cord
3) Using the hand paddle, slew the Telescope to the South and West a little to remove all covers, being careful not to hit any of the optics!
4) Open The Sky (double click desktop icon)
5) Click the green telescope icon, in the toolbar (2nd not 1st in toolbar) of The Sky to establish a link with the TCS
6) Re-enable the Auto-dome and set dome to track
         - Telescope --> Misc --> Switches, change dome to “on” and dome home to “off”
         - Click Apply
7) Using The Sky slew to a bright star in order to Sync (Z-point)
         - Look through the eyepiece for confirmation that your star is there
         - Using the hand paddle, center the star
         - In the object information window in The Sky, click the Telescope tab and then Sync

Telescope Closing Procedure

1) Put the covers back on Telescope
2) Close dome slit
3) Return telescope to the zenith
         - Set track RA track rate to zero in TCS
         (Telescope --> Rates, change RA rate from 15 to
         0, click “Apply”)
         - Telescope --> Movement --> Offset/Zenith, click “Apply” under Zenith Position, click “Start Slew”
4) Send dome home (Telescope --> Misc --> Switches, change dome home to “on”, click “Apply”
         ** Dome should go home (close to above the door), if it does not see trouble shooting!
5) Close all programs EXCEPT FOR TCS
6) Check to make sure camera is off, reticle is off !
7) Turn off power strip behind the desk, turn off lights, close dome door and roof doors

GO TO LAB PC

1) Hit Halt Motors Button (square red button on Telescope PC)
2) Turn Motor Driver Chassis off (red switch on front of Telescope PC)
3) Close TCS
4) Shut down PC
5) Turn off power strip behind the PC