Subject: Extension of 3.5-meter shutdown

From: Ed Turner

Submitted: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 17:38:50 -0400 (EDT)

Message number: 601 (previous: 600, next: 602 up: Index)

This is the same message with a corrected subject line.

Ed

On Wed, 28 Aug 2002, Ed Turner wrote:

>
> A great deal has been accomplished during the ongoing 3.5-meter shutdown,
> including what appears to be an excellent re-aluminization of the primary
> and extensive work on the enclosure shutter drives.
>
> Due to the necessity of taking on some unplanned work/repairs and various
> small glitches of the usual sorts, it will be necessary to extend the
> shutdown by *at least* two nights.  Thus, science operations on August 30
> and 31 are canceled (affecting UC02 and PU04).
>
> The last stages of every major shutdown require on-sky work to align the
> telescope, generate new pointing models and instrument blocks etc.  They
> thus depend on the weather.  There is thus the possibility of further
> delay in the resumption of scheduled science operations.  At this point
> there appears to be a substantial possibility that weather delays will
> require us to also cancel science ops on Sept 1 and 2, so those programs
> (NM01, PU03, PU04, UW02 and UW05) are at risk.  PIs of those programs
> will be informed when the situation becomes clearer and may want to
> contact APO for last minute updates.
>
> In addition to the above issues re the telescope, SPIcam is currently
> inoperative due to a failure of its mechanical cooler.  We are waiting for
> new parts being shipped by the manufacturer, but it appears unlikely that
> SPIcam will be available again for at least the coming week.  Programs
> scheduled to use it (of which PU03 is the first) should designate an
> alternate instrument or arrange for alternate use of the assigned time.
>
> Ed Turner
>
>
>


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