Subject: NICFPS Availability

From: Mark Klaene

Submitted: Thu, 16 Dec 2010 12:38:16 -0700

Message number: 1213 (previous: 1212, next: 1214 up: Index)

--Apple-Mail-20-688484451
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset=us-ascii


NICFPS has been returned to CU for work on the image dropout during =
rotation and the readout noise issue. As you may be aware of, the images =
dropped out when the instrument was rotated past 120 deg. This was a =
significant problem that recently showed up and rendered the instrument =
effectively useless for science. After extensive testing at APO it was =
determined that the likely cause was in the dewar. Stephane Beland came =
to the site this week and determined that the problem only shows up when =
cold and rotated and needed to be returned to CU to repair.=20

It is not possible to determine at this time when NICFPS will be =
returned to the site and ready for observations again. The plan is to =
address the CCD readout noise issue at the same time as the image =
dropout problem is repaired. We expect the work at CU to take =
approximately 30-60 days.

We will keep you informed as progress is made.


Mark Klaene
APO Operations Manager            voice: 575 437 6822
PO Box 59                                          fax:   575 434 5555
2001 Apache Point Rd                     cell:  575 430 0210
Sunspot NM 88349-0059                web: www.apo.nmsu.edu=20




--Apple-Mail-20-688484451
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset=us-ascii

<html><head></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; =
"><div><br></div><div>NICFPS has been returned to CU for work on the =
image dropout during rotation and the readout noise issue. As you may be =
aware of, the images dropped out when the instrument was rotated past =
120 deg. This was a significant problem that recently showed up and =
rendered the instrument effectively useless for science. After extensive =
testing at APO it was determined that the likely cause was in the dewar. =
Stephane Beland came to the site this week and determined that the =
problem only shows up when cold and rotated and needed to be returned to =
CU to repair.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It is not possible to =
determine at this time when NICFPS will be returned to the site and =
ready for observations again. The plan is to address the CCD readout =
noise issue at the same time as the image dropout problem is repaired. =
We expect the work at CU to take approximately 30-60 =
days.</div><div><br></div><div>We will keep you informed as progress is =
made.</div><div><br></div><br><div>
<span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; =
color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; =
font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; =
letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: =
auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; =
widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 12px; "><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Mark =
Klaene</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" style=3D"font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
">APO Operations Manager<span class=3D"Apple-converted-tab">&nbsp; =
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</span>voice: 575 437 =
6822</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" style=3D"font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
">PO Box 59&nbsp;<span class=3D"Apple-converted-tab">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; =
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; =
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; =
&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>fax:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;575 434 5555</font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">2001 Apache Point Rd<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-tab">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; =
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</span>cell:&nbsp;&nbsp;575 430 =
0210</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" style=3D"font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
">Sunspot NM 88349-0059<span class=3D"Apple-converted-tab">&nbsp; &nbsp; =
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</span>web: <a =
href=3D"http://www.apo.nmsu.edu">www.apo.nmsu.edu</a>&nbsp;</font></div><d=
iv style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 14px; "><br></div></span></div></span><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline">
</div>
<br></body></html>=

--Apple-Mail-20-688484451--

APO APO APO APO APO  Apache Point Observatory 3.5m  APO APO APO
APO
APO  This is message 1213 in the apo35-general archive. You can find
APO  the archive on http://www.astro.princeton.edu/APO/apo35-general/INDEX.html
APO  To join/leave the list, send mail to apo35-request@astro.princeton.edu
APO  To post a message, mail it to apo35-general@astro.princeton.edu
APO
APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO