If the afternoon is hot, you should open the dome louvers as early in the afternoon as you can to start ventilating the dome. The louvers are controlled by an air valve with a red knob close by the telephone.If the weather is good the telescope should be opened about an hour before sunset to begin cooling the optics.
| Check telescope and dome position | If you haven't already set up for dome flats, etc.,
you should find the telescope at the zenith (check that the coordinates
make sense) and the dome should be in the home position (dome azimuth 90
degrees, east; the red tape marks near the motor should line up). If not,
somebody may be working on the telescope or dome; check with the Telescope
Engineer or Instrument Scientist.
If the telescope is at the zenith, verify that the cover is on before opening the dome. If the telescope is pointed to the flat field screen, you may open the dome with the telescope cover off. You want to prevent falling hardware, pebbles, etc., that might shake loose from landing directly on the primary mirror. |
| Disable autodome | The AUTO DOME switch should be OFF, disabling computer control of the dome. |
| Position dome for opening | Use the handpaddle to drive the dome to the azimuth desire d for opening the dome. The dome should be parked with the slit in the east. You can open the dome in this position, but there is a safety issue here. Should th e slit cover not stop at the end of the range of travel, it would fall onto the stairway, and could cause injury. If you open the dome with the slit in the east , BE SURE it is safe to do so. If you don't want to take any chances, safe azimu th ranges are 0 degrees - 24 degrees, and anywhere in the northwest where you ca n easily reach the paddle. |
| Open the dome | Turn on the dome slit power using the toggle switch
on left side of the wall-mounted box next to the red toolboxes.
Go to the "miscellaneous" TCS menu and select "OPEN the dome." The dome should open. If not, contact the Telescope Engineer. |
| Open the shutter dropout | Climb the ladder and open the dropout with the crank. |
| Open the louvers | Operate the air valve with the red ball handle on the east wall above the desk (next to the telephone). |
| Remove telescope cover | Push HALT MOTORS so it sticks out. |
| Turn on the telescope drives with the DRIVES on/off switch. | |
| Use the handpaddle to slew the telescope west and south. Use the ladder to remove the cover. Store the cover in the HARDWARE and SPARES drawer in the tool cabinet. Remove the finder cover if you want. | |
| Stow the ladder. | |
| Position the telescope to wait for sunset | Send the telescope to the zenith (use TCS), then slew about 2 hours east. |
| Turn on telescope tracking with the TRACK switch. Check that the R.A. track rate is 15.000. If not, use the TCS menu to set the track rate to 15.000 (MOP sometimes sets the default track rate to 0.000). | |
| Set the DOME TRACK/HOME switch to DOME TRACK. | |
| Set the AUTO DOME switch to on. After a second or two, the dome will move to meet the telescope. Check that the telescope is centered in the dome slit. |
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