A Reminder About Checking Slitmasks (2008-Oct-31)
- Whenever new slitmasks have been installed in LRIS, it's
essential that you take direct images of all of your
slitmasks in the afternoon as part of the afternoon calibration
procedure for Xbox. Doing so ensures that we installed
the correct masks and that the DEIMOS software is inserting
the correct slitmask design information into your image
headers.
New Script Allows Drift Scanning Mode (2008-Oct-31)
- In response to an observer request, we now provide a driftscan script which can be
used for drift-scanning spectral observations with DEIMOS.
Given the angular size of the desired scan, the script will
launch an exposure, compute and apply the required
non-sidereal telescope tracking rate, then restore sidereal
tracking and return to the starting location at the completion
of the exposure. As written, the script will only scan in RA,
so the observer would typically use a north-south slit
alignment.
Slitmask Plotting Tool Released (2008-Oct-23)
- With the new Plotmask tool, you can answer that age-old
question: which slit is my object in? Given a DEIMOS image
acquired with a slitmask in place, this IDL routine will
generate a plot of the slits with optional labeling of slit
index number (used by QuickSlit)
and/or target name. Output can be sent to the printer.
Launch Plotmask via:
DEIMOS Utilities > Plotmask
from the DEIMOS background menu.
Grating Slider Changes (2008-Oct-20)
- In an attempt to resolve the longstanding problems with
clamping up on slider 4 at certain DEIMOS orientations, we
have been experimenting with a slightly different clamp-up
sequence for the DEIMOS gratings. The new algorithm appears
to give more reliable clampups for all of the sliders, and
appears to almost completely eliminate the failed clamp-ups on
slider 4 (except that the behavioe remains marginal over the
approximate range 0° < ROTATVAL < 45°). If a
clampup should fail (or you have an FCS tracking failure) the
first thing to do is to unclamp and reclamp the grating. The
next thing to try is to rotate to the vicnity of
ROTATVAL=-30°, unclamp, and reclamp.
Real-time Data Reduction Tool Released (2008-Oct-04)
- QuickSlit, a spectral quick-reduction package for DEIMOS,
is now available for use on all DEIMOS numbered accounts. The
software, contributed by Michael Cooper of the DEEP2 Survey
Team, will perform a full reduction on a single slit from one
or more science images acquired with the same slitmask and
display the output in the form of both a 2-D sky-subtracted
spectrum and a 1-D extracted spectrum. Online documentation is available.
You can run the tool from the DEIMOS background menu under
DEIMOS Utilities > QuickSlit
Grating Slider 4 is Finicky (2008-Jul-30)
- Slider 4 is having trouble clamping up at certain
orientations, particularly at DEIMOS ROTATVAL values of
+90° and -90°. Using the clampup_slider4
script is discouraged due to problems seen with alignment
after running this script, sometimes requiring the observer to
re-run FCS setup in order to track. Instead, we recommend
that observers should rotate DEIMOS to ROTATVAL=0°
(corresponding to ROTPPOSN=90°) when attempting to change
to slider 4.
New Reflective Multi-Long-Slit Mask Released
(2008-Apr-28)
- After several years of service, the popular
LngVrMir mask has worn out and been replaced by a
new and slightly different mask called LVMslits
("LVM" = "Long Variable Multi"). Like
LngVrMir, this new mask features a reflective slit
area and a series of 20-arcsec-long slits of various widths.
Whereas the old mask offered 4 slit choices, the new mask has
5 (0.7, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, and 1.5 arcsec). The
LVMslits mask now appears in the default list of
available masks on the DEIMOS run configuration form.
DEIMOS FAQ Page Upgraded
(2008-Apr-21)
- Tips and tricks on observing with DEIMOS have been added
to the DEIMOS FAQ (frequently asked
questions) page. Go there for those handy tips your friendly
neighborhood support astronomer is always reminding you about!
DEIMOS Arcplots Widget Released
(2008-Apr-06)
- We are pleased to announce the initial release of the
DEIMOS Arcplots widget, a GUI with which observers can
generate arc line plots customized to any grating, central
wavelength, and set of line lamps. This is useful for
verifying the achieved wavelength range for specific slits.
Please see the Arcplots Widget page for
more information.
DEIMOS Mask Overlays Generating Tool Released
(2008-Apr-05)
- The new IDL routine dsim2regions can be used
to help plot the locations of DEIMOS targets and slits on an
image of the corresponding DEIMOS field. The routine reads
information from the mask design files generated with
DSIMULATOR and creates ds9 regions files which can
be used to mark and label the locations of slits on an image
with celestial coordinates encoded in the FITS header World
Coordinate System keywords. Please see the dsim2regions page for further
information.
DEIMOS grating slider 4 clamp-up problem
(2007-Nov-03)
- Grating slider 4 is unable to clamp up at certain
DEIMOS rotator positions. This may indicate that some key
components in the mechanism are worn and need replacement;
however, we will not be able to complete that invasive work
until after the November DEIMOS run. In the meantime, there
are two things that observers can do if they experience
problems switching to grating slider 4. The preferred
option is to execute the new script called
clampup_slider4, which will position the stage to
a spot where it should be able to clamp up. If this fails,
the fallback is to rotate the instrument by 90 degrees and
try again to select the grating from the DEIMOS dashboard
GUI. If this fails. try running clampup_slider4
at this new position angle.
DEIMOS imaging mirror replaced
(2007-Jun-06)
- The engineering-grade imaging mirror which has been
used in DEIMOS since commissioning has been removed and
replaced with the science-grade imaging mirror. The coating
on the engineering-grade optic was in relatively poor
condition due to tarnishing, but the new science-grade optic
appears to be in outstanding condition (expecially
considering that the coating is well over 5 years old).
This change should increase the imaging throughput of DEIMOS
when the mirror is used.
DEIMOS bias problems
(2006-Dec-20)
- Since the October 2006 earthquake, the DEIMOS science CCD
mosaic has shown signs of low-level pattern noise and bias
level variations which change from chip to chip. We have
started troubleshooting the problem in partnership with
experts at UCO/Lick Observatory and our preliminary finding is
that the gain level on the science mosaic CCD controller has
excess noise. Troubleshooting will continue in January 2007;
until then, observers should expect somewhat higher noise in
their images.
DEIMOS desktop changes
(2006-Apr-22)
- DEIMOS has become the first Keck instrument to change
from the OLVWM window manager, no longer supported by Sun, to
the FVWM window manager. A recent internal technical
review concluded that FVWM was a preferred solution to
alternatives such as GNOME and CDE. In addition to changing
the window manager, we have also changed the way that
observers will access instrument software: instead of using
the window manager's pulldown menu, observers will now use the
InstrMenu widget to run DEIMOS-related tasks. We welcome your
feedback on these changes, which will soon migrate to the
other Keck instruments.
DEIMOS computer and disk changes (2006-Apr-07)
- The Sun Solaris E450 workstation which has run the DEIMOS
user interface software since the commissioning in 2002 has
been replaced by a more modern, faster SunFire V240. Also,
the new DEIMOS machine (known as polo, like its predecessor)
now features a Triton RAID-6 array offering nearly 2,000 GB of
disk storage space. The new machine runs the DEIMOS software
significantly faster than before, and with the new RAID array
the time to write a full DEIMOS image to disk has decreased
from 35 sec to 2 sec.
Update: Problem with science CCD mosaic amp 1B
(2006-Mar-25)
- Troubleshooting prior to the late March DEIMOS run failed
to reproduce the amp 1B dropouts seen during the early March
DEIMOS run. Until this problem resurfaces, observers are
advised to return to using the default 2-amp readout mode
for direct imaging.
DEIMOS motor controller failure (2006-Mar-21)
- One of the two Galil motor controllers on DEIMOS failed
during the downtime between the DEIMOS runs. The symptom of
the failure was that the unit would not communicate and
displayed a red FAULT lamp when powered on. We replaced
the failed controller with a spare, which appeared to
operate normally until we tried to move the grating select
mechanism; all attempts to move the grating select stage
resulted in motor shut off - positioning error.
We replaced the failed spare with a new spare, which worked
fine. All systems now operate normally.
Problem with science CCD mosaic amp 1B
(2006-Mar-01)
- The B amplifier on CCD 1 is occasionally failing to read
out properly, resulting in lost data on this CCD. This
amplifier is used when reading out all spectral images, plus
direct images acquired in 2-amp mode. Until we resolve this
problem, observers are advised to use 1-amp mode for direct
image readout in order to avoid losing data. The controls for
1-amp and 2-amp mode can be accessed on the User
Config panel from the main DEIMOS dashboard.
newday command now invoked automatically (2006-Mar-01)
- It is no longer necessary for observers to execute the
newday command to
allocate new data directories and configure FCS files when
starting up the instrument. The newday command is
now invoked automatically when the instrument software is
launched. This change allows the fcstrack script
to write its logfile to the FCS subdirectory.
DEIMOS RAID array crash
(2006-Feb-01)
- The RAID-5 disk array which hosted most of the DEIMOS
data directories has suffered physical damage and is now
unreadable. Two of the 5 disks in the array were lost,
preventing us from reading the data from the other disks.
Change in the operation of GO ZERO/GO BACK buttons (2006-Jan-27)
- The logic controlling GO ZERO button (used to
tilt the current DEIMOS grating to the zeroth-order imaging
position) has changed. Until now, the logic has been to store
the current grating tilt and restore to this value when
GO BACK is pressed. We recently learned that this
can cause problems if the GO ZERO button is pressed
during a telescope slew: the instrument rotator will typically
be slewing, and as a result the grating may be slightly out of
position at the time the position is recorded. Hence, GO
BACK ends up restoring the grating to the wrong
position, which causes FCS to remain idle instead of tracking.
The logic has now been changed so that when the GO
ZERO button is pressed, if the actual and user-requested
grating tilts are close but not the same, the
requested position is the one to which the grating
will return via GO BACK. If the actual position is
not close to the demanded position, the GUI will generate an
error message.
Gratings refuse to unclamp (2005-Dec-26)
- DEIMOS is experiencing occasional problems with gratings
refusing to unclamp when they have not been exercised for a
few days. We believe this is because the air pressure that
drives these pneumatic clamps bleeds off over time, leading
to insufficient pressure to unclamp the grating. If this
happens to you, see the troubleshooting
guide for tips on fixing the problem.
FCS problems (2005-Dec-09)
- Over the last 6 months, the DEIMOS flexure compensation
system (FCS) has experienced intermittent problems with loss
of signal from one of the two CCDs in the system (FCS CCD 1),
causing the system to fail. The problems became more frequent
during the November run, culminating in a hard failure on
December 2 after which the system remained in a "fail" state.
Working with personnel at Lick, we opened the FCS dewar
electronics box and located a connector which was not well
seated. The connector is now properly seated and the FCS
functions normally.
As part of the troubleshooting, Bob Kibrick at Lick
developed new FCS control software which can function using
only 1 of the 2 FCS CCDs. Although the flexure compensation
in this mode will not be as good as when 2 CCDs are used, it
will be much better than having no corrections at all.
Please see the FCS
troubleshooting notes for further information on using
this script.
DEIMOS grating system repaired (2005-Aug-25)
- The grating move problem reported in the April news item
has now been eliminated. Working with a team from Lick, we
disassembled the grating select mechanism and located two
loose screws on slider 3. These were retightened and the
system laboriously retuned (modified the GRATOFFx parameters)
in order to allow all gratings to clamp up at all DEIMOS
rotator positions.
DEIMOS collimator mirror recoated (2005-Aug-10)
- The DEIMOS collimator mirror received the same beautiful
Gemini silver coating as the DEIMOS tent mirror received in
the spring, thanks to Maxime Boccas and his team at Gemini.
New throughput measurements are pending. The shift in image
position relative to the value prior to removal of the
tent mirror is -7.8 px in CCD_X and -4.1 px in CCD_Y,
which is within the 10 px requirement.
DEIMOS tent mirror recoated (2005-Apr-25)
- The DEIMOS tent mirror received a beautiful new silver
coating at the Gemini summit coating facility thanks to Maxime
Boccas and his team at Gemini. New throughput measurements
are pending. A side effect of the removal and reinstallation
of the tent mirror is that the optical alignment has changed
by a few pixels. This means that observers should not attempt
to use FCS reference files generated prior this run, since it
may be impossible for FCS to maintain alignment on such data.
DEIMOS grating move problems (2005-Apr-02)
- The DEIMOS grating select stage experiences mechanical
interference which causes grating moves to fail at certain
orientations of the instrument. The problem is worst when
DEIMOS is at a physical rotator position (in DEIMOS
coordinates, as displayed on the Dashboards "Rotation" panel)
of 270°, and occurs when trying to move slider 3 past the
in-beam position. The symptom is that the grating select move
fails at this point. The solution is to rotate the instrument
by 90° either diection and re-try the failed grating
move. When possible, avoid changing the grating when the
instrument is near 270° rotator position.
DEIMOS tent mirror receives temporary coating
(2005-Apr-02)
- The DEIMOS tent mirror's protected silver coating has
been degrading since installation, reducing the DEIMOS
throughput. After the last run, we removed the optic,
stripped the old coating, and replaced it with a temporary
coating of bare Al to tide us over until we can recoat with a
new protected silver coating in mid-April. A side effect of
the removal and reinstallation of the tent mirror is that the
optical alignment has changed by a few pixels. This means
that observers should not attempt to use FCS reference files
generated prior this run, since it may be impossible for FCS
to maintain alignment on such data.
Offsets to guider coordinates removed (2004-Nov-03)
-
The slitmask mill was serviced in October and this appears
to have restored the original zeropoint of the slitmask
coordinate system. The offsets which were previously
required to align stars on the guider are no longer needed.
deeplog command updated (2003-Oct-11)
- The deeplog script will
now print out information on only the latest N files
if you supply a numeric argument.
Focus analysis script enhanced (2003-Oct-10)
- The Analyze Focus script will now set the
DEIMOS focus to the newly-determined value if you consent.
Re-arrange your GUIs automatically (2004-Oct-09)
- With one click, you can now resize and move all of the
DEIMOS GUI windows into their appropriate configuration.
Simply go to the OpenWindows pulldown menu, select
DEIMOS Utilities > Auto-arrange
GUIs, and watch your windows morph into place!
Offsets to guider coordinates (2004-Sep-14)
- Several observing teams report that the guider appears to
have shifted, resulting in a 10-column offset between the
predicted and actual positions of the stars in the guider
when the mask is aligned. Observers should thus apply a +10
pixel offset to the intended x coordinates of their guide
stars when completing the coarse phase of slitmask alignment; i.e.,
instead of typing
gmov 100 200 300 400
type
gmov 100 200 310 400
Several DEIMOS filters damaged (2004-Jun-23)
- An unfortunate incident this spring has resulted in
significant damage to several of the DEIMOS filters. The
affected filters are:
- V filter for direct imaging
- BAL12 filter for spectroscopy without an order blocker
- NB8580 filter for spectroscopy of the Calcium triplet
The damage was caused by a bent component in the filter
wheel which grazed the surface of the filters when the
optics were inserted or removed from the instrument. The
scratches run along the center of the filters (covering less
than 5% of the surface area) and are oriented in the
spectral (not spatial) direction when the filter is in the
beam. Plans for replacing the filters are on hold until we
can establish the level of degredation to their performance.
In the meantime, observers who would normally have used
BAL12 for spectroscopy are advised to use the GG400 filter
instead. Since DEIMOS transmits very little light below
4000 Å anyway, we do not expect a significant
impact on observing.
FCS now runs automatically (2004-Mar-25)
- The DEIMOS startup and shutdown scripts have been changed
to launch the FCSTRACK script automatically, eliminating the
need to perform the additional step of running FCSTRACK frm
the pulldown menu during afternoon setup. Please be aware
that if the DEIMOS software is shutdown and restarted,
FCSTRACK will probably come up in its default (idle)
configuration. Click the START button on the FCS GUI to
re-enable FCS tracking.
Subtle problem with BLANK pixels (2003-Nov-21)
- DEIMOS images taken between October 2002 and November
2003 are affected by a newly-discovered problem with certain
data values. The problem is subtle and may be unnoticable for
many observers. A full
description of the problem and the simple solution is now
available courtesy of Steve Allen (UCO/Lick).
spec2d version 1.1.4 released (2003-Sep-23)
- The DEEP Survey team at UCB announces the release of a
new version of the spec2d reduction package. Please see the
release
notes for full information, and consult the pipeline
website for info on how to update your copy of spec2d. In
addition to the revised version of the code, there are new
calibration frames available; please click
here for details. It is strongly recommended that all
2003 data be rerun with this new set of calibration files.
Please note that an email list has been established to notify
interested parties of developments related to
spec2d. Email sent to this address will be
directed to everyone on the spec2d_users
subscription list which includes the developers here at UCB.
Please contact
to be added to the email alias.
AUTOPANE saves readout time (2003-Aug-25)
- DEIMOS will now read out direct images and mask alignment
frames faster, thanks to the new AUTOPANE keyword.
When AUTOPANE is set to AlignArea (the
ne default), the CCD system will readout only the illuminated
rows if a direct image (without slitmask) is taken, and only
those rows containing the alignment boxes if a slitmask
alignment image is acquired. Spectral exposures are read out
in full, as previously. Observers can control the setting og
AUTOPANE using a new selector on the User Config
panel of the DEIMOS Dashboard. For more information, please
see this document.
DEIMOS Update
(2003-Aug-07)
Use guidermon to detect guiding
problems (2003-Jun-03)
- The new guidermon script will monitor the
guider signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and generate an audio
alarm if the S/N falls below the minimum threshold you
specify. It can thus be used to detect the onset of cloudy
weather and allow you to pause an exposure before it is
degraded by clouds, or to be warned if the guide star
wanders out of the guide box for some other reason. Once
the signal has fallen below the threshold, the software will
continue to monitor the guider S/N and will generate a
different audio message when the guider counts exceed the
threshold again. To use this script, open a local window on
any machine in Remote Ops and type:
guidermon thresh
where thresh is the threshold at which to generate
warnings. The appropriate value of the thresh
parameter will depend on the brightness of the guider star
and the guider integration time. A reasonable value would be
50% of the starting S/N.
Enhancements to DEIMOS IRAF package (2003-Jun-03)
- The IRAF package keck.deimos has been modified
to make observing with DEIMOS easier. The following tasks are
affected:
- cdata. This new task will take you to the
current data directory for DEIMOS, just as the
corresponding cdata alias does on
polo.
- do_xbox. Previously, this task had been
constructed to run xbox on the next image to be
read out; it you wanted to analyze an existing image you
had to run xbox instead. The task has now been
modified such that if a new image is currently being taken
or reading out, the task will wait for it to complete and
then analyze it. But if no image is in progress, it will
simply analyze the most recent image. In most cases this
is the desired behavior anyway.
- get_seeing. If you issue the command
get_seeing last, the task will now analyze
the most recent image.
"apropos" command for DEIMOS scripts (2003-May-29)
- DEIMOS has a sizeable library of user
scripts which can be used to control the instrument. You
can now use the new apropos
command on polo to search for commands related to a
certain keyword.
DEIMOS slitmask imaging widget (2003-May-28)
- Observers should acquire a direct image of each of their
slitmasks in the afternoon and run xbox on them to
verify that they function as expected. Observers can now use
the DEIMOS Slitmask
Imaging Tool to acquire these data rapidly and
conveniently.
spec2d version 1.1.3 released (2003-May-20)
- The DEEP Survey team at UCB announces the release of a
new version of the spec2d reduction package. Please see the
release
notes for full information, and consult the pipeline
website for info on how to update your copy of spec2d.
The new version includes a patch for a noteworthy bug which
affects all masks milled after the middle of October, 2002.
The release notes provide the details of this bug, but it is
important to note that all post-October masks need to be rerun
using v1_1_3!
Generating DEIMOS slitmask maps (2003-May-03)
- The DSIMULATOR slitmask design package can
generate an optional plotfile which consist of Lick MONGO plot
commands; however, few people have access to this software
package. For the convenience of observers, a new IRAF task
will accept the DSIMULATOR plotfile as input and
will generate a plot using the STSDAS.IGI plotting program.
You can download this script and run
it at your home institution, or bring your
DSIMULATOR files to Keck and generate the maps
here.
Generating DEIMOS guider finder charts
(2003-May-02)
- Dan Magee (UCO/Lick) has generously donated
a wonderful software package
which generates nice DEIMOS guider finder charts using the
Digitized Sky Survey and the output files from
DSIMULATOR.
Experimental ds9 released (2003-Apr-24)
- A new, "experimental" version of the ds9 image
display tool is now in use for DEIMOS observing. This version
features two new ways to compute image statistics, accessible
under the Analysis menu:
- Simple stats is a barebones widget allowing
one to compute basic statistics on one image region.
- Advanced stats is a full-featured widget
with options allowing simultaneous calculation of
statistics on multiple regions.
Zeroth order imaging available on slider 4 (2003-Apr-24)
- The staff of Keck and Lick Osbervatory recently completed
mechanical modifications to increase the range of motion on
slider 4, allowing it to reach the zeroth-order imaging
position. Observers can now perform slitmask acquisition and
MIRA on slider 4. Various user scripts which involve zeroth
order imaging have been updated to reflect the new
capability, including
gozero,
image_user_masks, and
align_check
New script aids afternoon setup (2003-Apr-24)
- Observers should acquire a direct image of each of their
slitmasks in the afternoon and run xbox on them to
verify that they function as expected. To speed the process
of acquiring the direct images, observers can use the new image_user_masks
script. By default, it will reconfigure DEIMOS for direct
imaging on the current slider and acquire images of all user
masks. To image only certain masks, list their names as
arguments. The slitmask
checklist has been updated to describe the use of this
script.
spec2d version 1.1.2 released (2003-Apr-16)
- The DEEP survey team at UC-Berkeley announces the release
of version 1.1.2 of their IDL-based DEIMOS data reduction
pipeline sofwtare. Known as spec2d, this software
takes an input a set of undithered DEIMOS spectral
exposures and produces a set of individual, sky-subtracted 2-D
spectra for each slitlet. Please see the description of the spec2d software
pipeline for further information on obtaining and using
the software.
DVD writer available (2003-Mar-30)
- DEIMOS observers can now write their data to DVD (or CD)
using our automated writer and software. The observatory
provides both the media and a GUI
for completing the writing. Each DVD can hold 4.7 GB of
raw data, so it is generally possible to store a run's worth
of data on a few discs. To access the GUI from any instrument
account, select Instrument Utilities
> Autobackup from the OpenWindows workspace menu.
FCS software upgraded
(2003-Mar-25)
- Three components of the FCS software have been upgraded:
- The FCS keyword library (service deifcs)
All FCS-related keywords have been moved into the
deifcs service. Previously, some FCS
keywords (e.g., FCSMODE, FCSMSG)
were contained within the science mosaic keyword library
(service deiccd). Many new keywords have
been added, providing access to the individual
measurements computed for each FCS CCD. The
FCSRMXxx keywords provide measurements of the
FCS system's RMS tracking error during each science
exposure. These new keywords are recorded in the FITS
headers to provide a record of how well FCS was able to
stabilize each science exposure. Note: the
FCSCORRX and FCSCORRY keywords
have been replaced by the FCSCORXM and
FCSCORYM keywords, respectively.
- The FCS GUI
The FCS graphical user interface has been completely
re-worked. It provides many new features, including
user-adjustable plot scales for various plots of the FCS
tracking performance. Status displays provide detailed
information regarding various warning and lockout
conditions, and pop-up alarms notify the observer of any
conditions that would degrade FCS tracking performance.
The new GUI also provides features for taking FCS
reference images.
- The fcstrack script
The fcstrack script has been significantly upgraded to
support the new capabilities of the FCS GUI. The
revised correction algorithm provides improved image
stabilization, especially when DEIMOS is rotating at
higher velocities as occur when tracking objects near
the keyhole. The revised algorithm also provides more
robust handling of cosmic ray events; previously, such
events would sometimes result in spurious FCS
corrections.
Both the FCS Startup Checklist and the
FCS Notes have been updated to
reflect the changes.
FCS upgrade reduces scattered light
(2003-Mar-02)
- A recent upgrade to the flexure compensation system by
Lick and CARA added hardware which turns the FCS lamp on only
during an FCS exposure; previously, it was always on when FCS
was running. Since FCS integrates for only a few seconds on
each iteration, this should reduce the amount of scattered FCS
light on the detector by a factor of 3 more.
Observing preparation checklist published
(2003-Jan-31)
- The new DEIMOS Observing
Preparation Checklist tells you the things you need to know
to prepare for your DEIMOS slitmask observing run and points
out some key resources you should bring along.
Slitmask calibration widget released
(2003-Jan-31)
- The new Slitmask Calibration Widget automates the process
of acquiring calibration data (arcs and internal flats) for a
series of DEIMOS slitmasks. See these instructions on its use.
DEIMOS Update
(2003-Jan-09)
Filter focus discipline released
(2003-Jan-08)
- De Clarke of Lick has written new software which will
automatically adjust the focus of DEIMOS to compensate for the
difference in focus values between the various DEIMOS science
filters. The software takes as parameters a global shift in
focus (derived from daily focus checks in the R band which you
should run in the afternoon) and focus offsets for each filter
relative to the R band. The DEIMOS focus is adjusted each
time a filter is changed, with the changes being "invisible"
to the observer.
New deeplog utility generates electronic logsheets
(2003-Jan-08)
- The new deeplog utility
allows you to generate a listing of the images in your data
directory to complement or replace your paper logsheets. The
text output produced by the script isn't pretty but has the
key benefit of being machine readable. See some sample output.
Flexure compensation centroiding improved
(2003-Jan-01)
- Bob Kibrick and Drew Phillips of Lick have developed a
new cross-correlation algorithm for the DEIMOS flexure
compensation system that simplifies the afternoon setup
procedure and is far less prone to losing its "lock" during
the night. The new algorithm is now the default and has
performed perfectly since being deployed in late December.
Ghosting seen in 900-line grating
(2002-Oct-22)
-
Drew Phillips has written a nice report on unusual ghosting seen
when using the 900-line grating on DEIMOS. Until
further notice, observers should use dome flats
only for the 900-line grating, and other gratings that work
at a similar tilt. Observers should be aware of the problem
and watch for it in their data.
DEIMOS Update
(2002-Oct-17)
DEIMOS slitmask design software released
(2002-Aug-09)
- Drew Phillips (UCO/Lick) has announced the initial
release of his IRAF-based software package for design of
DEIMOS slitmasks. Details on the installation and use of
his software may be found at his website.
Go to:
DEIMOS Home Page -
Instruments Home Page -
Keck Home Page
Last modified: Mon Nov 3 18:15:31 HST 2008