----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mauna Loa Solar Observatory Observer's Log ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sat Apr 23 16:31:56 GMT 2022 Year: 22 Doy: 113 Observer: mlso WEATHER COMMENT: mcotter: Sat Apr 23 16:35:46 GMT 2022 Temp: 45.5f, Humidity: 48%, Pressure: 28.707in, Wind: 8mph from 137degs, Skies: The upper sky is criss crossed with Cirrocumulus clouds and Altocumulus clouds. Lower level skies are a bit hazy with Altocumulus clouds and Cumulus clouds scattered across different areas of the Saddle Valley. A thick pink gray inversion layer can be observed on the horizon weel above Haleakala. ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sat Apr 23 16:43:30 GMT 2022 PM Blew off UCoMP O1 ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sat Apr 23 16:43:36 GMT 2022 PM Blew off Kcor O1 ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sat Apr 23 16:46:34 GMT 2022 Though the sky is scattered with upper level clouds, I have opened the dome and aligned the spar in the event enough of the cloud coverage burns off to observe. ___end___ Sat Apr 23 17:06:21 GMT 2022 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Sat Apr 23 17:07:59 GMT 2022 There was a small break in the clouds so I tried running the Kcor focus routine, but the sky is much too bright to run the instrument at this time. ___end___ Sat Apr 23 18:37:16 GMT 2022 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited Sat Apr 23 18:50:49 GMT 2022 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sat Apr 23 18:52:58 GMT 2022 There appeared a couple of breaks in the cloud coverage so I attempted to run the Kcor instrument, but the sky conditions, even in what appears like blue sky, is entirely too bright to run the instruments at this time. ___end___ Sat Apr 23 18:54:05 GMT 2022 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited Sat Apr 23 19:31:41 GMT 2022 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sat Apr 23 19:32:00 GMT 2022 The sky continues to be much too bright to observe. ___end___ WEATHER COMMENT: mcotter: Sat Apr 23 19:40:18 GMT 2022 The wind is starting to pick up and we are getting strong gusts at times. I closed the lower some shutter door at this time to act as a wind screen. The windows were left closed at the start of the day because of the strong wind conditions. ___end___ Sat Apr 23 19:41:49 GMT 2022 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Sat Apr 23 19:48:20 GMT 2022 The sky looks clearer than it was earlier, though still quite bright. I attempted to run the Kcor focus routine, even though it is bright, to see how the Kcor Synoptic images would turn out. As expected the synoptic images are poor with a very large overly saturated coronal ring around the occulter. I will try again in a little while to see if conditions have improved. ___end___ Sat Apr 23 21:08:33 GMT 2022 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited Sat Apr 23 21:10:22 GMT 2022 Running UCOMP Cookbook poor-weather-coronal-with-flats.cbk line 0 KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Sat Apr 23 21:11:08 GMT 2022 Kcor instrument now observing. Polarization checked good: Mid, Bright, Dark, Mid. ___end___ Sat Apr 23 21:15:32 GMT 2022 Running UCOMP Cookbook poor-weather-coronal-with-flats.cbk line 0 Sat Apr 23 21:16:17 GMT 2022 UCoMP Paused for clouds Sat Apr 23 21:17:47 GMT 2022 UCoMP Restarted from pause Sat Apr 23 21:24:26 GMT 2022 Running UCOMP Cookbook poor-weather-coronal-with-flats.cbk line 0 Sat Apr 23 21:41:52 GMT 2022 Running UCOMP Cookbook poor-weather-coronal-with-flats.cbk line 0 Sat Apr 23 21:42:26 GMT 2022 Running UCOMP Cookbook all_wavelength_coronal_flat.cbk line 0 Sat Apr 23 21:47:08 GMT 2022 Running UCOMP Cookbook all_wavelength_coronal_flat.cbk line 2 Sat Apr 23 21:47:34 GMT 2022 UCoMP Paused for clouds Sat Apr 23 22:03:12 GMT 2022 UCoMP Restarted from pause Sat Apr 23 22:04:19 GMT 2022 UCoMP Paused for clouds Sat Apr 23 22:29:40 GMT 2022 UCoMP Restarted from pause Sat Apr 23 22:30:13 GMT 2022 UCoMP Paused for clouds Sat Apr 23 22:45:26 GMT 2022 UCoMP Restarted from pause Sat Apr 23 22:49:51 GMT 2022 UCoMP Paused for clouds Sat Apr 23 23:18:42 GMT 2022 Running UCOMP Cookbook all_wavelength_coronal_flat.cbk line 0 Sat Apr 23 23:33:35 GMT 2022 Running UCOMP Cookbook all_wavelength_coronal.cbk line 0 **UCoMP PROBLEM COMMENT BY mcotter** : Sat Apr 23 23:33:33 GMT 2022 When I attempted to start the Ucomp instrument the Ucomp-Controller Instrument Status dialogue box stated that "the cameras are returning no image data. you may need to power cycle the cameras". I have tried power cycling the cameras twice by removing the power cable at the back of the rack, waiting 15 seconds, and then plugging in again but I am getting the same status error. I tried closing and reopening the Ucomp-Controller program but I still received the same error. I went to the dome and varified +12vdc was going to both cameras via the CD-0050 Cable. I traced the output from the Ucomp instrument chassis to the back to the rack via the fiber optic cables and the I/O converter modules seemed to be plugged in fine and the little green LEDs at the back of the converters were flashing like they were getting input. I tried restarting the computer but the Instrument Status error codes persisted. I called Ben and explained what was going on and he signed on remotely and began to troubleshoot the error. Ben determined that the cameras were actually communicating and that there was a bug in the code misreporting the status of the cameras. He advised me to ignore the errors for today and watch the "Cam0 max value" and "Cam1 max value" fields on the Ucomp-Controller GUI, as well as the Green background of the Ucomp-Controller GUI to determine if the cameras are communicating. The program and Ucomp instrument appear to now be operating normally. ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sat Apr 23 23:34:31 GMT 2022 Both Kcor and Ucomp are observing and appear to be operating normally. ___end___ Sun Apr 24 00:01:42 GMT 2022 Running UCOMP Cookbook all_wavelength_coronal.cbk line 0 GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 24 00:05:16 GMT 2022 The dome tracking system is beginning to act erratic as the Sun makes it further north. Once the Suns travels toward the west I have started aligning the dome slit manually and check on it periodically to ensure that the instruments stay in the center. ___end___ Sun Apr 24 00:29:55 GMT 2022 Running UCOMP Cookbook all_wavelength_coronal.cbk line 0 Sun Apr 24 00:55:03 GMT 2022 UCoMP Paused for clouds Sun Apr 24 01:38:53 GMT 2022 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited Sun Apr 24 01:39:17 GMT 2022 UCoMP Restarted from pause Sun Apr 24 01:41:49 GMT 2022 Running UCOMP Cookbook all_wavelength_coronal_flat.cbk line 0 Sun Apr 24 01:56:12 GMT 2022 UCoMP Paused for clouds GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 24 02:14:39 GMT 2022 Emptied trash receptacles. ___end___ Sun Apr 24 02:18:25 GMT 2022 UCoMP Restarted from pause GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 24 02:26:44 GMT 2022 The day started out overcast with high altitude clouds but by late morning the clouds burned off enough to get the instruments on sky. Good sky conditions continued until mid afternoon when periodically some Cirrus would make its way briefly into the observing area. Finally in late afternoon the high altitude Cirrus became more prevalent and observing was paused. Overall not a bad day of observing. ___end___ ONSITE STAFF: mcotter