----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mauna Loa Solar Observatory Observer's Log ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fri May 29 16:57:45 GMT 2026 Year:26 Doy:149 Observer: mcotter Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 16:59:27 GMT 2026 MLO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-05-29 16:53:00 Temperature : 47.43 deg F Dew Point : 5.49 deg F Pressure : 679.01 mbar Wind Speed : 10.96 mph Wind Direction : 257.2 deg Skies: Skies are clear but hazy on the horizon. The inversion layer is a dark blue gray in color and located just below the peak of Haleakala. The sky appears a bit bright at this time. ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 16:59:35 GMT 2026 Opened windows upstairs ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 16:59:42 GMT 2026 Dome open ___end___ BY mcotter: Fri May 29 17:02:10 GMT 2026 Computer issues: The aspect ratio and relative monitor screen locations are off for the Wahoo 2 computer. I will troubleshoot after I have gotten Kcor on sky and observing. ___end___ ** KCOR PROBLEM REPORTED BY mcotter ** : Fri May 29 17:07:14 GMT 2026 Kcor: The Kcor computer when started stated that the Labview program had a problem when shutting down. A GUI came up stating that there were outstanding files that could be recovered. I selected "Recover" then the GUI shut down. ___end___ Fri May 29 17:10:54 GMT 2026 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 17:16:35 GMT 2026 Kcor: The Kcor instrument is now observing. Aerosols were quite prevalent during the Focus routine and the sky appears bright. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 17:17:09 GMT 2026 Polarization checked good. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 17:21:11 GMT 2026 A small cloud has moved into the viewing area from the south. It appears there a few more clouds coming in from the south over the Maunaloa summit. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 17:21:58 GMT 2026 Kcor: The Kcor instrument has been paused due to some clouds moving into the viewing area from the south. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 17:24:43 GMT 2026 Kcor: The cloud that was in the viewing area was short lived and has passed out of the viewing area. Kcor is again observing. ___end___ ** KCOR PROBLEM REPORTED BY mcotter ** : Fri May 29 17:38:16 GMT 2026 Kcor: The Kcor NRGF images appear slightly blurry. When the Focus routine ran it set the focus at 133.056. This approximately -1.5 increments from where we historically have set the focus position. As mentioned previously, heavy aerosols were observed during the Automatic Focus Routine which may account for the lower focus value. I am going to re-run the focus routine to see if I can improve the instrument focus. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 17:43:15 GMT 2026 Skies: A scattered layer of Orographic clouds have moved into the viewing area from the south, coming up over the Maunaloa summit. The clouds are quite broken up and trail off sporadically across the southern sky. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 17:44:22 GMT 2026 Kcor: I did not have a chance to re-run the focus routine at this time due to clouds moving into the viewing area from the south. ___end___ ** GENERAL PROBLEM REPORTED BY mcotter ** : Fri May 29 17:55:19 GMT 2026 Wahoo 2 Computer: I was able to correct the positioning error for the Wahoo 2 computer display monitors. Monitor One is located on the bottom left monitor in our workstation display array and Monitor 2 is now located directly above Monitor 1. The aspect ratio is still off on Monitor 1 (but certainly usable) as the system does not provide options for changing the aspect ration or sizing to suitable settings for this display (perhaps different drivers are required). Monitor 2 has the correct aspect ratio and sizing. ___end___ Fri May 29 18:04:45 GMT 2026 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited Weather BY mcotter: Fri May 29 18:09:00 GMT 2026 Skies: The clouds are still present in the sky but they have blown to the northeast and have moved out of the viewing area. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 18:10:44 GMT 2026 Kcor: Kcor is again observing. I re-ran the Focus routine and manually set the focus to 134.55. Polarization checked good. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 18:21:54 GMT 2026 MLO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-05-29 18:14:00 Temperature : 53.06 deg F Dew Point : 0.59 deg F Pressure : 679.53 mbar Wind Speed : 8.28 mph Wind Direction : 300.3 deg Skies: The sky appears bright but clear. There is a steady stream of Altocumulus clouds coming up over the Maunaloa summit from the southwest, but so far they are blowing more to the northeast direction and the Sun has risen enough to be out of their path. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 18:52:10 GMT 2026 MLO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-05-29 18:44:00 Temperature : 53.71 deg F Dew Point : 8.46 deg F Pressure : 679.84 mbar Wind Speed : 10.74 mph Wind Direction : 289.1 deg Skies: A steady stream of Altocumulus clouds are coming in from the southwest blowing toward the northeast, but so far they are making there way past our observing area without encroaching into our field of view, though the sky is starting to get brighter. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 19:15:37 GMT 2026 MLSO Current Weather Skies: Patches of Altocumulus clouds are now encroaching into the viewing area. The cloud structure is quite broken up so this should be only be a short observing pause, as long as conditions persists. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 19:16:22 GMT 2026 Kcor: The Kcor instrument is now paused due to clouds in the viewing area. ___end___ KCOR BY mcotter: Fri May 29 19:29:51 GMT 2026 Kcor: The Kcor instrument is again paused due to clouds entering the viewing area. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 19:32:08 GMT 2026 MLSO Current Weather: Skies: A large front of Altocumulus clouds have now entered the viewing area from the east-southeast. The front began gradually but it is now getting much heavier in coverage. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY KCOR: Fri May 29 19:52:35 GMT 2026 KCOR file transfer report KCor created 397 .bin files 392 .fts files NOTICE ? 5 .bin file(s) with no matching .fts: 20260529_172013_kcor.bin 20260529_173841_kcor.bin 20260529_191306_kcor.bin 20260529_191900_kcor.bin 20260529_192816_kcor.bin Remote site is complete ? no rsync required. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 19:59:18 GMT 2026 Kcor Stopped: The Kcor instrument and computer has been stopped. The clouds are continuing to stream across the sky from the east-southeast. The power input is fluctuating on the input as the clouds pass and the load is surpassing the incoming power more than not. I have left the SGS computer on and the spar in open loop in the event the sky does clear up soon. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 20:51:32 GMT 2026 MLO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-05-29 20:44:00 Temperature : 55.44 deg F Dew Point : 31.13 deg F Pressure : 679.89 mbar Wind Speed : 10.74 mph Wind Direction : 334.1 deg Skies: Clouds continue to persist and cross the sky in the viewing area from southwest to northeast. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 21:08:38 GMT 2026 MLSO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-05-29 21:05:00 Temperature : 54.55 deg F Dew Point : 32.23 deg F Pressure : 679.94 mbar Wind Speed : 10.74 mph Wind Direction : 323.0 deg Skies: The sky has cleared up a bit and there now is a break in the clouds. ___end___ Fri May 29 21:21:09 GMT 2026 Kcor Focus/alignment program exited KCOR BY mcotter: Fri May 29 21:27:11 GMT 2026 Kcor: The Kcor instrument is now back on sky and observing. During the Focus Routine there were a lot of aerosols visible in the focus images. I manually set the focus position to 134.58, as I believe this provides for a better focused and well defined NRGF image. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 21:31:43 GMT 2026 MLSO Current Weather Skies: There are a few sporadic clouds making their way through the viewing area. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 21:35:43 GMT 2026 Kcor: There are a few scattered clouds making their way across the viewing area. Unfortunately they are increasing in numbers and I am going to need to pause the instrument. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 21:43:06 GMT 2026 MLSO Current Weather Skies: The sky overhead in the viewing area is increasing in cloud coverage and Orographic clouds are now forming over the observatory. The sky appears very bright. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 21:44:38 GMT 2026 Kcor: Though the sky does appear bright I have been able to start observing again and the synoptic images look good. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 22:03:23 GMT 2026 MLSO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-05-29 21:59:00 Skies: Lots of clouds coming up from the Saddle Valley and up the western slope of Maunaloa. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 22:06:25 GMT 2026 Kcor: I am trying to dodge the clouds as much as possible to keep the observing going, but it is getting more and more difficult to dodge them successfully. Kcor continues to observe for now. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 22:14:22 GMT 2026 Kcor: The Kcor instrument is now pause due to clouds in the viewing area. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 22:16:01 GMT 2026 MLSO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-05-29 22:11:00 Skies: Orographic clouds have quickly moved up from the Saddle Valley and from the west and are now completely covering the sky over the observatory. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 22:23:46 GMT 2026 Kcor: The Kcor instrument is again observing. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 22:25:24 GMT 2026 Kcor: The kcor instrument has been stopped due to the sky being entirely too bright to observe at this time. ___end___ KCOR COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 22:35:20 GMT 2026 Kcor: I attempted to start observing with Kcor but the sky remains much too bright to observe at this time. ___end___ Weather COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 23:13:34 GMT 2026 MLO Current Weather Timestamp (UTC): 2026-05-29 23:11:00 Temperature : 53.74 deg F Dew Point : 42.43 deg F Pressure : 679.56 mbar Wind Speed : 8.5 mph Wind Direction : 323.9 deg Skies: The sky is now completely overcast. ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 23:13:55 GMT 2026 Dome and windows closed. ___end___ GENERAL COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 23:17:15 GMT 2026 End Of Day: The day started out promising but early in the morning clouds had come into the viewing area and observations were paused. Later in the morning there was a break in the cloud coverage, so observations were able to continue but after a short while clouds reappeared and observations were on and off until finally the sky became overcast. ___end___ Logger COMMENT BY mcotter: Fri May 29 23:17:20 GMT 2026 Log closed ONSITE STAFF: mcotter ___end___