Obtain the keys for the gate and the classroom from Dr. Downing.
Obtain the security code for the classroom from either Dr. Bruton or Dr. Markworth.
Unlock and open the dome door. Secure the door with the bungie cord to prevent the wind from slamming the door.
Immediately upon entering the dome, there will be a set of light switches to the right. The first light switch turns on the red footlights inside the dome, the middle controls the floodlights outside the dome, and the light switch furthest from the door turns on the white lights inside the dome.
Find the ratchet system found along the wall to open the dome.
Unlock the dome by turning the knob on the latch until it comes loose (occasionally you may need to tighten the dome opening for the latch to come off).
Turn the ratchet until the dome is open.
Leave the ratchet in a upward position such that it will not interfere with the dome rotation's gear system.
Get the CCD camera from the darkroom. It is an SBIG CFW-8 camera in a white plastic box. The filter wheel should already be inside the camera. If not, ask Dr. Bruton or Dr. Markworth for assistance.
The camera mounts to the telescope with a coupling (cords point to the 8-inch finderscope).
Connect the USB cable to the CCD camera control computer tower. The computer is facing backwards for easy access to the USB port.
Connect the USB cable to the USB port on the camera.
Connect the power cord from the power supply to the camera.
Power up the computer with the center wall switch and the telescope with the left-most wall switch.
The diagram below shows the setup of the computers in the computer box.
The power strip on the west side of the telescope mounting connects the power to the CPU, power to the power supply of the CCD camera, and power to the red light that illuminates the crosshairs in the finderscope.
On the left computer in the ITAS program, turn tracking on (click the bubble next to Tracking On. It's on the left side of the screen).
Check the box next to Autodome on the left side of the screen to turn on Autodome. This will allow the dome to move automatically when the telescope is moved.
Choose an object to move the telescope to by highlighting one on the list under the tabs labeled Bright Stars, User Defined, Minor Planet, and Deep Sky.
Click Slew To.
Once the telescope has finished moving to the object, use the hand paddle to center it.
IMPORTANT! If the telescope appears to reach its limits, shut off the power to the telescope with the switch on the wall.
The hand paddle to the 18-inch telescope is the same as the hand paddle to the 41-inch telescope with one exception. On the right side of the 18-inch telescope hand paddle is the switch that controls the dome rotation. This is only used if the dome needs minor adjustments after Autodome has run.
Flip the switch down to rotate the dome counterclockwise.
Flip the switch up to rotate the dome clockwise.
Use ITAS to move the telescope to a bright star.
Using the hand paddle, center the star in the finderscope.
Adjust the brightness of the red light to illuminate the crosshairs of the finderscope. It is plugged into the telescope mounting and has a switch to vary the brightness on the plug.
From the Camera menu, click on Setup... This will bring up a new window.
Under the Setup tab:
Click on Temperature button at the bottom right. This brings up a new window.
Next to Temperature Regulation, click On.
Make sure the boxes next to Fan on and Shutdown temperature regulation when terminating software communication with the camera are both checked.
Click OK.
Under the Take Image tab:
Pick a filter from the filter menu on the bottom left. It is usually easiest to start with a clear filter.
Under the Focus Tools tab:
Pick an Exposure time on the left.
For really bright objects such as bright stars, use a 0.0 to 1 second exposure.
For fainter objects use a 5 to 10 second exposure.
Select a 0.0 Delay time.
Click the Take Image button on the right.
Use the handpaddle to focus the image.
NOTE: after and adjustment is made with the handpaddle, it may take 2 or 3 images for the changes to appear in the image. Make an adjustment with the handpaddle, wait for 2 or 3 images to cycle through, and then make further adjustments if necessary.
Once the image is in focus, click Abort on the right.
Under the AutoSave tab:
Check the box next to AutoSave on.
Do not check the box next to Save focus images
Click the Choose Folder... button and choose the folder where the images will be saved.
Make sure the bubble next to FITS is clicked under Save as.
Pick a Starting number for the first image number.
Choose a File name prefix relevant to the object you are imaging.
Under the Take Image tab:
Pick an Exposure time on the left.
For really bright objects such as bright stars and planets, use a 0.0 to 1 second exposure.
For fainter objects such as large, bright nebulae or small stars, use a 1 to 30 second exposure.
For very faint objects, such as galaxies and dimmer nebulae, use a 30+ second exposure.
Choose Light under Frame.
Choose what type of Reduction to use:
None for 0-1 second exposures.
AutoDark for 1+ second exposures.
Make sure the bubble next to Imager is clicked.
Start out with the Bin set on 3x3. Once you hae the object you are imaging focused and in the frame, click and hold the mouse over the image to make a box around the object.
Make sure the box under Subframe is checked to On.
Change the Bin to 1x1. The image will be blown up and take longer to download. Some additional focusing may be needed to fine-tune the image.
Choose how many pictures you want to take using the same filter under Series of:. You can either pick the different filters manually or it can be done automatically, which is discussed below under the Color tab.
It is best to take between 5 and 10 pictures with each filter so you can choose the best images for processing.
Click Take Image to take the series of images.
Under the Color tab:
Pick the number of exposures that will be taken with each filter by choosing a number under Series of.
You can edit the exposure time, bin, filter, etc. by clicking the Edit buttons for each filter.
On the 8-inch telescope, flip the mirror from camera to eyepiece and find a bright star in the field of view.
Use adjustment screw to redirect finderscope to center the star. There is a screw on the side and one on the back of the telescope. The one on the side is hard to grip.
Take a dark frame by clicking the Dark Frame button on the SBIG Tracking CPU.
Hit the Find and Focus button on the SBIG Tracking CPU. Wait for it to display a number greater than 10.
Put the hand paddle speed switch into Slew mode (the right setting).
Turn off all the lights. Hit Calibrate Drive on the SBIG Tracking CPU. Do not move and especially do not touch the cables.
Hit Track on the SBIG Tracking CPU.
Take a 30 second exposure to make sure tracking is set.
The stars will be circular dots if the tracking is set. Otherwise the stars will show up as an elongated oval or a line.
If tracking is not set correctly, hit Interrupt, then Calibrate Drive.
After tracking is set, the telescope is ready to take long exposures up to 480 seconds (8 minutes).
