Tag: 2016B

2016B Day 6: Low Latency Guanaco

Another busy day on Cerro Manqui.

Clio came up to start getting ready. Katie will begin drawing a vacuum and start the cool down process tomorrow.

Clio made its first appearance this run.

Most of today was spent shaking out our new 2000 Hz capability. As of tonight, thanks to Mario and Alfio, we have successfully closed the loop (with 0 gain) at 2000 Hz! It’s on.

Mario working hard on the switch BCU
Alfio supervising a test at 1800 Hz. Later in the day we got all the way to 2000 Hz!

To do the zero-gain closed-loop testing we had to string a temporary network fiber between buildings, since sine parts of MagAO are not yet on the telescope. This necessitated some improvised safety management (fibers are delicate).

Safety never takes a vacation.

Vizzy spent the day doing Vizcacha things.

Vizzy was just hanging out this afternoon.

Kelsey saw a Guanaco up close and took these great pics.

The majestic Guanaco.
I feel like he’s talking with his mouth full.

2016B Day 5: Alora Alignment

Ok Alora! Lots of aligning optics today. Kelsey and Lauren are figuring out the ropes, and Fernando arrived this evening.

Do you see the green laser dot on the graph paper strip taped down in the middle? This is how Enrico aligned the new tip/tilt stage yesterday. Today it was the new camera lens in the PyWFS.
Lauren, Alfio, and Enrico in the Aux working on PyWFS alignment.
These black and yellow birds are flitting around these fragrant yellow flowers
Vizzy was waiting for us
!!!Guanacos!!!

2016B Day 4: Tipping 2000 Hz

After the secondary was installed yesterday, we ended up going to bed with a bad fiber running to the secondary. So the first order of business was to fix that this morning. All Done.

Katie pulls the ASM cover before installation yesterday.
Laird and Pato installing the calibration return optic (CRO)
Runa and Marco installed the interferometer we will use to calibrate the ASM.
Meanwhile, Enrico installed our new tip-tilt stage, which can go 2000 Hz.
A wild vizcacha came out to watch the sunset.
This is what we watched. No flash.

Take it away Otis:

2016B Day 3: Sleepy, Dummy, Bashful, Happy, Grumpy

Today the telescope became ours! The previous instrument was removed (Pisco) as well as the f/11 secondary mirror. Then we installed our adaptive secondary mirror and our “dummy Nas” which goes in place of the usual Nas to hold the interferometer for testing the ASM.

Here the dummy Nas is being installed onto the usual Nas spot.
The MagAO-2k PI is sleepy

It was a beautiful summer day and a lot of animals were out in force.

Enrico took this great photo of the burros

Can you spot the animals?

Song of the day:

2016B Day 2: The Arrival

Our friends from Italy started arriving today. We welcomed Alfio, Enrico, Runa, Mario, and Marco, who are all here to help us with our upgrades and re-calibration. Much work was done!

The ASM was moved to the top — a big moment again.
Enrico, Alfio, Mario and Laird discuss.
Our friend the friendly Guanaco was running away from us as we walked down to dinner