Daytime Setup

Daytime Activities

Before observing, verify that the observing plan, target list, and calibration plan are ready. The observer should decide which slit widths and binning modes will be used during the night, including those needed for standard stars, and should take calibrations for those configurations.

Internal spectrograph focus is normally performed during the day by the Support Astronomer or telescope/instrument operators. Observers should not normally need to run the internal focus procedure. Confirm with the Support Astronomer before starting calibrations that the internal focus has been checked and that the instrument is ready for afternoon calibrations.

Upload or create the target list before the start of the night. Target lists are CSV files and are loaded through the NGPS GUI into the target database. At minimum, each science target requires a name, RA, and DECL; additional columns may specify exposure time, slit width, number of exposures, binning, slit angle, acquisition mode, and comments. If target-list preparation and loading are described in detail in

Choosing Slit Width and Detector Binning, this section should only state that the target list should be loaded and checked during the afternoon.

Afternoon calibrations should be taken once the dome is dark and the Support Astronomer or Telescope Operator confirms that it is safe to do so. Select the desired calibration type, binning, and, for dome flats, slit width; generate the calibration target list; then execute it with the normal sequencer by clicking Go.

Internal calibrations should be obtained for each detector binning mode used during the night. Dome flats should be obtained for each slit-width and binning combination used for science or standards. After each calibration sequence, inspect the raw frames to confirm that arcs show clear, unsaturated lines, biases have low counts, and flats have useful counts without saturation. Any missing or questionable calibration sequence should be repeated before evening observing begins.