----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mauna Loa Solar Observatory Observer's Log ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sun Apr 26 16:45:56 GMT 2026 Year:26 Doy:116 Observer: mcotter GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 16:46:04 GMT 2026 Start of day. Arrived onsite at approximately 0630 HST. The ECO FLO Power Unit was at 56% with zero input. The YETI was at 70% with zero input. The Kcor ILX was on and reading 32.8 C. I started the logger (obviously) but I am leaving the Kcor and SGS computers off for now until we can get more power in the ECO FLO battery bank. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 16:49:39 GMT 2026 MLO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-04-26 16:44:00 Temperature : 41.43 deg F Dew Point : -5.49 deg F Pressure : 678.08 mbar Wind Speed : 10.74 mph Wind Direction : 209.7 deg Skies: Skies are extremely bright and very hazy with a thick blue gray inversion layer positioned above 10,000': cannot see Maui or Haleakala. ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 16:51:27 GMT 2026 Due to the low power available in the ECO FLO battery bank and the excessively bright sky conditions I am holding off on starting observations at this time. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY KCOR: Sun Apr 26 17:28:45 GMT 2026 KCOR file transfer report KCor created 0 .bin files 0 .fts files Remote site is complete ? no rsync required. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 17:33:39 GMT 2026 Kcor Started The Eco Flo now has positive power coming into the unit so I have started Kcor and the SGS computers. ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 17:34:13 GMT 2026 dome open ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 17:34:45 GMT 2026 Opened windows upstairs ___end___ Sun Apr 26 17:38:38 GMT 2026 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 17:41:13 GMT 2026 Kcor Focus/alignment While running the Kcor Focus Routine I adjusted the SGS values to the following in order to properly occult the Sun; X(RA): -50 Y(Dec): 45 ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 17:46:06 GMT 2026 Kcor polarization checked good. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 17:49:11 GMT 2026 Kcor Synoptic Acquisition Mode now running and the images are a bit bright. ___end___ Sun Apr 26 17:57:16 GMT 2026 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited Sun Apr 26 17:59:47 GMT 2026 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 18:03:19 GMT 2026 Kcor Focus Issue The Kcor NRGF images looked a bit out of focus so I re-ran the Focus Routine. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 18:04:11 GMT 2026 MLO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-04-26 17:59:00 Temperature : 49.91 deg F Dew Point : -19.3 deg F Pressure : 678.66 mbar Wind Speed : 2.91 mph Wind Direction : 299.1 deg Skies: The Skies are very, very bright. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 18:14:49 GMT 2026 Kcor Focus/alignment After running the Kcor Focus Routine the second time the focus range settled on 133.34, which is very close to where our 2026 average has been and the NRGF images appear more in focus and better defined. The skies remain very bright at this time and the Kcor Synoptic Images are bright and a pale gray in color. ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 18:24:03 GMT 2026 Power readings. ECO FLO power supply readings: Input: 600 W Battery: 36% Output: 875 W YETI power supply readings: Input: 170 W Battery: 70% Output: 50 W ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 18:26:09 GMT 2026 Kcor ILX Display: 33.7 C ___end___ ** KCOR PM mcotter ** : Sun Apr 26 19:18:21 GMT 2026 Blew off Kcor Field Lens I can see a couple of artifacts in the NRGF Image at the approximate PA 310 deg, approximately 2 radii out from the occulter. They may be hot pixels, but I blew off the field lens just to make sure it was not a foreign particle on the Field Lens. ___end___ ** KCOR PM mcotter ** : Sun Apr 26 19:19:14 GMT 2026 Blew off Kcor O1 This morning I blew off the Kcor O1 but I forgot to note it in the log. ___end___ ** GENERAL PM mcotter ** : Sun Apr 26 19:26:38 GMT 2026 A couple of days ago Lisa mentioned in the log that she had a problem with the lower Dome Shutter Door not opening smoothly. I watched for it and also noticed that it was sticking and acting in a sporadic manner. I adjusted and increased the tension on the spring that provides force against the Lower Dome Shutter Door when opening. Additionally I lubricated the guide roller track and the Tension Spring Control Arm that provides added force to the opening of the Lower Shutter Door. ___end___ ** KCOR PM mcotter ** : Sun Apr 26 19:29:20 GMT 2026 Kcor I re-installed the Kcor Instrument Alignment Target on the Kcor Instrument. It is used to align the instrument on the Sun, but was removed for some reason while working on the instrument previously. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 19:33:32 GMT 2026 MLO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-04-26 19:29:00 Temperature : 51.85 deg F Dew Point : 9.41 deg F Pressure : 679.26 mbar Wind Speed : 5.14 mph Wind Direction : 298.7 deg Skies: Though the sky remains clear of any approaching clouds the sky remains exceptionally bright. ___end___ Sun Apr 26 20:05:18 GMT 2026 KCOR Start Calibration script: c:\kcor\mlso-calibration22deg-20171025.ini Sun Apr 26 20:20:33 GMT 2026 KCOR End Calibration Script Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 20:40:26 GMT 2026 MLO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-04-26 20:35:00 Temperature : 52.05 deg F Dew Point : 27.22 deg F Pressure : 679.39 mbar Wind Speed : 7.16 mph Wind Direction : 305.9 deg Skies: Skies are clear but continue to remain very bright. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 20:52:12 GMT 2026 MLO Current Weather Skies are very bright and aerosols are getting heavy. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 21:30:44 GMT 2026 MLO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-04-26 21:26:00 Temperature : 52.41 deg F Dew Point : 37.07 deg F Pressure : 679.4 mbar Wind Speed : 8.05 mph Wind Direction : 331.1 deg Skies: Orographic clouds are starting to make their way up the North-Northwest slope of Maunaloa. Additionally, aerosols are getting very heavy and are becoming quite visible in the NRGF images. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 21:44:21 GMT 2026 MLO Current Weather Skies: Clouds are now encroaching into the viewing area and aerosols are extremely high. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 21:46:28 GMT 2026 Kcor Stopped. Due to clouds in the viewing area and excessively high aerosols the Kcor instrument has been stopped. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY KCOR: Sun Apr 26 21:47:06 GMT 2026 KCOR file transfer report KCor created 930 .bin files 927 .fts files NOTICE ? 3 .bin file(s) with no matching .fts: 20260426_174113_kcor.bin 20260426_175304_kcor.bin 20260426_214250_kcor.bin Remote site is complete ? no rsync required. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 22:08:56 GMT 2026 MLO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-04-26 22:05:00 Temperature : 49.19 deg F Dew Point : 39.21 deg F Pressure : 679.3 mbar Wind Speed : 8.05 mph Wind Direction : 25.6 deg Skies: The sky is now completely overcast. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 22:10:45 GMT 2026 Kcor Instrument is now completely off and the computer has been powered off. The Kcor ILX remains on. ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 22:11:48 GMT 2026 Dome closed. The Dome and windows are now closed due to poor weather conditions. ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 22:14:19 GMT 2026 Power Supply Levels are as follows: ECO FLO Battery: 43% YETI Battery: 98% ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 22:21:33 GMT 2026 End Of Day. Though the sky was quite bright and aerosols were heavy it was a good day of observing. Toward the latter morning the NRGF Images show very high aerosol levels with bright background skies. The input power to the YETI and ECO FLO are both higher than the load output. The network should be fine overnight and I will leave the Kcor ILX on overnight, as I believe it should make it through the night with power enough in the battery. Additionally, tomorrows morning weather outlook looks promising for observing, but of course time will tell. ___end___ Logger COMMENT BY mcotter: Sun Apr 26 22:21:57 GMT 2026 Log closed ONSITE STAFF: mcotter ___end___