January 2008: Subaru Users' MeetingJanuary 2008: Subaru Users' Meeting

Current status of Subaru Telescope

Summary– Some glitches are expected while leased computers are being replaced

(February 2008-)– Age of the complicated systems requires us more work to keep the telesc

ope operational.– Input from the users are always important.– Regular seeing measurements are important to monitor long-term variatio

ns of the environment and the telescope. We are working to minimize time used for the measurements.

URLs– http://teldiv.subaru.nao.ac.jp/

• Meeting minutes as Wiki pages• Log files from TCS• Subversion repositories

– Issue tracker• http://ssdweb.subaru.nao.ac.jp:8080/ocsi/?categories=5

Continuing measurements– Weather and seeing statistics

• Monthly updates by Miyashita• https://www1.subaru.nao.ac.jp/~akihiko/• http://www.naoj.org/Observing/Telescope/ImageQuality/

Glitches expected!– Telescope engineering division would like to apologize for the expected d

elay in solving telescope problems during observations from February 2008.

– Leased computers in the Hilo and summit facilities are being relocated• Real-time measurements of the weather have been provided through th

e leased computers and need to be replaced• Replacement system for the services are not finalized

– Domain name of servers in Hilo facility will change from .naoj.org to .subaru.nao.ac.jp• URLs of huge amount of information will change• This will delay finding necessary information to act against telescope tr

oubles

– SSH access to intranet might be closed

– Registration of telescope status and search on STARS will have a pause from February 19th through February 24th.

Additional features– Micro-crack detection system for primary mirror

• Detects drop of small things with microphones– Interface to generation-2 `OBS'– Quick log of status and telescope model parameters on TWS4– Wave plate on NsIR by HiCIAO– Optical fibers for FMOS– SODAR measurements of turbulences (testing)– Auto-guiding while observing a non-sidereal target (testing)

Refreshment of old systems– Completed fixing automatic transfer switch for power outages– Completed overhaul of rotation axis of the top unit exchanger– Moved part of network for AG/SH images from FDDI to Ethernet– Completed overhaul of automatic instrument exchanger (CIAX)– Refitted cables in azimuth cable wrap– Preparing recoating of NsIR image rotator mirrors

Troubles– Snow in winter 2007-2008– Under investigation

• Displacement of top units after earthquake on Oct 2006• Dome encoder• Strange behavior of chillers• Crack on man-basket on TUE• Positioning pins on top units getting tight• DIMM broken with falling ice

– Fixed• Main shutters stack - with better position markers• Wind screens tilted - with modified tensioner• Noise on NsIR r axis - with lubrication• AZ rail cover scratching pier - with additional beam• Dome air conditioners - with replacing parts, gas and liquids

Tuning of existing systems– Added oil filters under elevation axis– Modification of TUE for LLT– Testing brighter dome flat lamp– Tuning off-axis SH measurement

Scheduled work items– Annual maintenance on mechanics– Enforcement of AZ axis after earthquake

Upgrades being planned and studied– Recoating of IR M2 and IR M3

From Open Use Reports Feb 07-Jan 08– Chopping signal from COMICS is not always connected

• Connection from COMICS to control building 2F is always checked• Reception of signal by telescope control system can only be done by

actually chopping M2• We are investigating a safe way to confirm reception

– It would be very useful to have non-sidereal guiding implemented for solar system targets• We will test the new feature at Cassegrain in February 2008• Release date to open use observations to be discussed after test

– Background at NsIR in L-band and M-band is higher than at Cassegrain• Image rotator will be recoated

– Auto guide on NsIR does not start smoothly• The rotation angle will be calibrated after the recoating of image rotat

or– A webpage with daily updated list of problems would allow observers to

have contingency plans• Good idea. We will study how we can update the page without major

impact to our work load – A webpage with accurate assessments about overhead times

• The next generation preparation tool might be able to take care of– Noise on NsOpt slit viewer camera is higher than the other cameras

• We are aware of the problem on AG and SH• Investigation is taking time due to lack of man power

– Distribution of auto guide error was strange and took time to offset telescope accurately• There was a problem, which was fixed during the night, in communic

ations between the GPS clock and a control computer

Daigo Tomono <tomono at subaru.naoj.org>and the members of the Telescope Engineering Division