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M I R a C 3 User’S Manual M I R A C 3 USER’S MANUAL Steward Observatory, University of Arizona Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics William F. Hoffmann Joseph L. Hora Manual Version mrcman91.99w.wpd May 22, 1999 Program Version 7.22 May 3, 1999 readme.txt May 22, 1999 This readme.txt file dexcribing the MIRAC3 Users Manual, and the gzip postscript MIRAC manual files can be found in kepler.as.arizona.edu anonymous pub/mirac The current version of the MIRAC Users Manual, mrcman91.99w.wpd, was completed May 22, 1999. This version has been updated for the hardware and software changes in MIRAC3 and includes corrections and additional material on standard stars, filters, and operation and troubleshooting the camera. Send comments to [email protected] The following gzip compressed Postscript files contain the manual. The postscript files are printed with a binding offset for double sided printing. File Chapters Pages Compressed Uncompressed mr01x02.ps.gz Contents - 2 Title - 12 319562 1494992 mr03x10.ps.gz 3 - 10 13 - 78 610574 2786308 mr11x13.ps.gz 11 - 13 79 - 102 264316 2531688 mra01x10.ps.gz A1 - A10 103 - 142 678263 3958165 mra11x13.ps.gz A11 - A13 143 - 178 122065 518709 mra14x15.ps.gz A14 - A15 179 - 204 2409854 6116263 mra16x19.ps.gz A16 - A19 205 - 226 215722 1586640 mra20x24.ps.gz A20 - A24 227 - 249 107361 403727 readme.txt MIRAC Manual Organization The MIRAC User’s Manual provides information and check lists for shipping, setup, preparation, observation, data reduction and maintainance. The asterisk (*) indicates subjects most useful to review before an observing run. Subject Chapters Appendices Organization of the manual and performance of MIRAC * 1 - 2 Preparation for an observing run * 3 - 4 * A1 - A5 Setting up and shutting down for a run and for a night of observing 5 - 6 Observing with the camera * 7 - 10 A6 Quick look display and processing 11 - 13 Post observing data reduction A7 - A10 MIRAC files and menus A11 - A12 Shipping and setup A13 - A15 Trouble shooting and service A16 - A19 Unix commands, tape backup, weather, and address information A20 - A24 5/23/99 Contents i Table of Contents List of Figures.............................................................vii List of Tables ............................................................ viii 1. Organization of MIRAC User’s Manual ........................................1 2. Overview and Performance..................................................3 2.1 MIRAC3 on the World Wide Web .....................................3 2.2 General Description of MIRAC3.......................................3 2.3 Magnification and Pixel Scale.........................................6 2.4 Filter Selections ...................................................7 2.5 HF-16 Array and MIRAC System Properties..............................7 2.6 Background, Sensitivity, and Noise.....................................9 2.7 Telescope and Sky Emissivity........................................11 3. Observing Run Arrangements...............................................13 3.1 Observing Proposals...............................................13 3.2 Observatory Arrangements...........................................14 3.2.1 Kitt Peak Arrangements.....................................14 3.2.2 Mt Hopkins Arrangements...................................14 3.2.3 Hawaii Mauna Kea Arrangements..............................14 3.3 IRTF Requirements List ............................................15 3.4 Cryogenics Cost...................................................17 4. Software Preparation.....................................................19 4.1 Object Lists and Air Mass Charts .....................................19 4.2 Offset and Command Files ..........................................19 4.3 Establishing an Individual Guest Account...............................20 5. Start and End of Run Setup and Shutdown Check Lists ...........................21 5.1 Preparation of MIRAC after Shipping or Storage .........................21 5.2 Start of Run Setup Tasks ...........................................21 5.3 End of Run Shutdown Tasks.........................................26 5.3.1 Initial Control Room End of Run Tasks .........................26 5.3.2 Telescope Chamber End of Run Tasks..........................26 5.4 Complete Shut Down and Packing ....................................30 6. Nightly Startup and Shutdown Check Lists.....................................31 6.1 Nightly Startup Tasks..............................................31 6.2 Nightly Shutdown Tasks............................................35 7. Observing Procedures and Check Lists........................................39 ii MIRAC User’s Manual 7.1 Check List for each Set of Observations ................................39 7.2 Check List for a Nights Observations ..................................40 7.3 Wavelengths, Frame Times, Frame/Filter Link Files and Filter Change Times ....40 7.4 Macro Aids......................................................42 7.5 Command Files...................................................43 7.6 Offset Files......................................................46 7.7 Focus Settings....................................................47 7.8 Acquisition of Star and Focus........................................48 7.9 Final Telescope Focusing ...........................................49 7.10 Autoguiding at IRTF..............................................49 7.11 Autoguiding at UKIRT............................................49 7.12 Observing Times.................................................49 7.13 Calculating Image Scale ...........................................50 7.14 Printing Images..................................................50 8. Short Form Instructions for Running MIRAC Using the MIRAC Program.............53 8.1 General Notes ....................................................53 8.2 Starting MIRAC...................................................53 8.3 Observing with MIRAC.............................................55 8.4 Shutting Down MIRAC.............................................56 9. Using the MIRAC Program ................................................59 9.1 Running the MIRAC Program on a PC Stand-Alone .......................59 9.2 Directory Structure................................................59 9.3 Data File Name Conventions.........................................60 9.4 Main Screen Display...............................................60 9.5 Using MIRAC Menus and Functions...................................64 9.6 Selecting Display Modes and Options..................................66 9.7 Setting Camera Parameters and Taking Data.............................66 9.8 Filter Wheel Initialization and Motion..................................67 9.9 Observing Modes and Options........................................67 9.9.1 Source Frames and Off-source Beam Switch......................68 9.9.1.1 Grab.............................................68 9.9.1.2 Chop ............................................68 9.9.1.3 Chop-Nod ........................................68 9.9.1.4 Nod (2 beam)......................................70 9.9.1.5 Nod (4 beam)......................................70 9.9.2 Fast Data Mode ...........................................71 9.9.3 Ultra Fast Mode...........................................71 9.10 Telescope Control................................................72 9.10.1 Nod Control by Logic Level.................................72 9.10.2 RS-232 Control of the Telescope .............................72 9.10.3 Ethernet Control of the Telescope.............................73 9.10.4 Offset Modes and Taking Data...............................74 5/23/99 Contents iii 10. Mask, Gain, and Flat Field Maps............................................75 10.1 Mask Map......................................................75 10.2 Gain Map Generation .............................................76 10.3 Preparing a Flat Field .............................................76 10.4 Using the Mask, Gain, and Flat Field maps .............................77 10.5 Principles of Mid-Infrared Flat Fielding................................77 11. Reading Stored Data and Data Processing ....................................79 11.1 Methods of Loading Data..........................................79 11.1.1 Current Observation.......................................79 11.1.2 Accumulated Observation...................................80 11.1.3 Replay Mode ............................................80 11.1.4 Operation...............................................80 11.1.5 Mosaic.................................................81 11.1.6 Multiple Image Display.....................................82 11.1.7 Processed Images.........................................83 11.1.8 Noise..................................................83 11.2 Display Modes ..................................................83 11.2.1 Grayscale...............................................84 11.2.2 Contour ................................................84 11.2.3 Slice...................................................85 11.2.4 Frequency...............................................86 11.2.5 Histogram...............................................86 11.2.6 Radial Plot..............................................87 11.2.7 Plot Command Line Options.................................88 11.2.7.1 Setup...........................................88 11.2.7.2 Redraw .........................................89 11.2.7.3 Fit .............................................89
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