Last updated
Dec 12 2011 RAJ

1. take a test exposure (e.g.,'zero'); if the process does not hang, you're OK; if it does, reboot VATTCCD
   (test camera is on in the dome, power cycle connnection link in dome under box on South side of East fork)
2. view the image header of the test image. NB: if telemetry (RA, Dec, LST, HA, Airmass, etc..)
   is missing from the headers, verify that the “Enable Telescope” and “Enable Instrument”
   flags are set in the “Flags” tab of the “Preferences” menu in AzCamTool.

1. fill the CCD dewar
2. open the four dome vents
3. plug in the dome power (yellow plug)
4. plug in the finder scope power (little black AC adapter that lies on
   top of an power/electronics box mounted on the South side of the East
   fork of the telescope)
5. open the finder cover (push the handle up then turn 180deg)
6. turn on the SBIG camera (switch with orange-red led on top of black
   electronics box on the West side of the dewar underneath the telescope
7. check the derotator sensor position; the fixed and moving magnetic
   sensors on the North-east side of the derotator flange should be
   slightly mis-aligned with the moving one slightly N of the fixed one.
8. check for obstructions (including stow pins!); remove the fill tube
   from the CCD dewar and move the liquid nitrogen dewar tank flush
   against the South wall.
9. check the Azimuth alignment (the inverted “V” and the vertical mark
   on the Azimuth platform should line up to become an inverted “Y”).
   Don't attempt to fix a mis-alignment before turning on the oil-system!
10. check that the West door to the ladder leading up to the roof is
    closed and locked.

1. turn on the oil chillers (pull out the mushroom button labeled #1). once either one or both of the chillers come on, check that the
   oil-flow (gauge on top of the chiller unit) is above “10”. Then
   turn on the oil-pressure system by turning the knob labeled #2.
   Once first the low-pressure, then the high-pressure pumps have come
   on, check the oil-flow is above “4”.
2. turn on both the pier and the building fans (push both the green
   buttons on the left wall toward the back (as viewed from the elevator).

1. turn on the NESLAB by slightly opening the valve lever on the right
   side of the unit, starting the unit using the toggle switch in top,
   and fully open the valve within 2 sec after the machine starts.

1. press the tiny “reset motor drives” button on the guider electronics
   3 times (or: reboot guider cpu, then reset motor drives)
2. reboot VATTtel by pressing the tiny maroon reset button OLD: white
   square button and wait untill the “Pass” LED comes on (after an
   initial “Fail” interrupt /w loud click). The monitor should proclaim
   the Guider to be OK.
3. turn on the power amplifiers for derotator, azimuth, elevation and
   dome. Do *NOT* touch the amplifier for the counterweights.

d

1. turn on the dome fan (next to door to South balcony) and turn on the
   dome lights (on the other side of the door from the dome fan controls)
2. turn on the dome camera monitor
3. turn on the finder monitor
4. turn on the guider monitor
5. bring up the TCS GUI (from the gnome button, select the “VATT” menu,
   then select “TCS/IF GLUE”)
6. bring up the VATT Guider Application GUI (VGAG) from that same menu
7. in the square TCS window, select the “mount control” view and turn
   on the mirror fans
8. in the square TCS window, select the “thermal” view and set the goal
   temperature (the temperature expected near the middle of the night),
   then enable the “setpoint” radio button. Note, that if you are
   starting up in a hurry, these buttons may initially be greyed out and
   the temperatures reported may be bogus.
9. In the VGAG window, select the “Camera” view and initialize the
   guider camera (“Init” button). Wait until the “Start” button is no
   longer greyed out, then start the camera with its default exposure
   time (0.5 sec; no dark subtraction).
10. Start XEphem from the “VATT” menu. In the main XEphem control GUI, hit
    the “Now” button immediately. From the “View” menu, select “Skyview”.
    From the “Telescope” menu, select “Configure” – should the new GUI
    come up with the “running” radio button enabled, turn it off and close
    the GUI. Then reopen it (“Telescope”→“Configure”) and click on
    “running”. A tiny GUI should pop up (may be partially hidden) stating
    that XEphem now has control of the telescope.
11. In the VGAG window, select “Reset Secondary” from the “Secondary” menu
    in the top-bar of that window. Once done, enter last nights values of
    “TipX” and “TipY” (and “Focus”), then select (enable) “Autocollimation”
    from the “Secondary” menu.
12. Open the dome shutter (“Open Slit”)
13. After the dome is fully open, open the mirror cover (“Open M-Cover”)
14. In the square TCS window, select the “mount control” view and hit
    “Enable drives”. If the volume on the intercom is on, you should hear
    a click. You should also hear the break release.
15. Turn on “Dome tracking” in the main TCS GUI window
16. “Calibrate” the azimuth axis and check that the dome is following.
17. From the XEphem “skyview” window, send the telescope at Azimuth~180
    to a star at Altitude~40-50deg, then back to zenith (“Stow” button on
    main TCS GUI).

Now, you're ready for taking twilight flats

1. Collimate VATT