DIS III - Using DIS with TUI

Contact your Russet McMillan (primary) or your Observing Specialists (secondary) for additional information or corrections.
Contact Jack Dembicky for web page errors, corrections, ommisions, and/or additions.

This page last updated: May 9, 2007- JMD
This page last checked: TBD - JMD

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Contents

Using DIS with TUI

Reference

Using DIS with TUI

• Configuring TUI to use DIS
• Setting up TUI exposure parameters
• Taking your Calibration lamps
• Taking your Dark Frames
• Focusing DIS
• Centering your star on the slit
• Changing the guider filters
• Using the auto-guider
• Setting up multiple exposures
• Taking your exposure
• Pausing an exposure
• Stopping an exposure (early Readout)
• Stopping an exposure (discarding data)
• Where does your Data go?
• Always examine your data!

Configuring TUI to use DIS

Setting up DIS exposure parameters

Taking your Calibration lamps

Taking your Dark Frames

Focusing DIS

Centering your star on the slit

Changing the guider filters

Using the auto-guider

Setting up multiple exposures

Taking your exposure

Pausing an exposure

Stopping an exposure (early Readout)

Stopping an exposure (discarding data)

Where does your Data go?

Always examine your data!

With TUI running on your machine, the object of interest located in the slit (of the slitviewer), and the guider running (if necessary), we are now ready to take an image. Go to the Status window and from the menu bar select Inst/DIS. This will bring up a window similiar to the one below (all of the information may not be visible).

Before we start lets make sure everything is up to date by clicking on the Current button.

Now confirm that the correct gratings are in place that you want to use. The gratings are listed in the Grating field (below the Show More/Less Button). If these are the correct gratings then proceed to the next step, if not then select the other grating set from the Turret selection (if you are unsure which grating set to use ask the observing specialist). Your choices are Mirror, Grating Set 1, Grating Set 2.  If you are unsure about which grating set to use ask the Observing Specialist. Click the Apply button to move the gratings to the ones that you selected.

Now confirm that the grating centers are what you have requested (or want). They should be within a few (<8 Angstroms) of what you requested. These will be given in the lambda section (below the grating field from above).  If they are correct, then proceed to the next step. If not, then set the grating centers that you want in the lambda fields (to the right of the displayed gratings). Click the Apply button to move the grating centers. If you moved the turret (chose a different grating set) above or a previous user has used your computer with TUI, the centers may not be correct. Always double check before taking any exposures (use the Current button to update your screen with the current configuration).

Note: You can save a little time and set both the grating set and grating centers (lambda boxes) and then click the Apply button.  DIS will move the turet to the correct gratings and then move the gratings to the correct center for you.

Be aware: If the values in the wavelength centers fields (lambda boxes) are different than the values you want, if you click the Apply button during your program the computer WILL move the gratings on you. As a safeguard always check the wavelength center fields (lambda boxes) and input your wavelength centers to be safe (you don't need to click the apply button, but if you do during the night the gratings should not move.).

Now check the binning /windowing (this is optional, but highly recommended) by selecting the Show CCD button (it will change to a Hide CCD button). Confirm that the correct binning and windowing are set up. You can also set up the overscan region here as well. Make the appropriate changes and click the Apply button to apply them. You can click the Hide CCD button to hide the screen (if you desire).

Be aware: If the previous user has been using windowing/binning, you need to confirm that the windowing/binning is set up correctly for your program (or reset it to default binning 1 1 and default window 2048 1028). If you are unsure you should check this information before taking your exposures.

Be aware: If you click the Apply button at any time, the computer will apply all field values (changed or not) to the instrument. If a previous user had a different value (for example grating center) and you were not aware of that different value and just wanted to rebin the instrument, when you click on the apply button not only will the instrument be rebinned but the grating center values will also be applied. Always check to make sure all fields are correct before any exposure.

With all the DIS settings checked we are ready to take an exposure. Click on the Expose button to bring up the exposure controls. It will look similiar to the one below.

There are several fields that we need to fill in here.

First we need to tell DIS what Type of image we are taking, Object, Flat, Dark, Bias

Then for Object, Flat, and Darks, we need to specify a Time in (h:m)s

Next we need to specify how many consecutive exposures (#Exp) we wish to take (in the above image the value is 20)

We can select one or both of the Cameras in DIS to use.

We next define the file Name that we want our object saved as. BE SURE to end the name with a period. All objects are found on Tycho under /export/images/<program ID>/<filename>. You can also define a subdirectory (TUI will even create it for you) by entering a name such as <subdir1>/<subdir2>/<filename>. (don't forget the period at the end!)

The next field is the Seq # and Share Seq selection. You can define what sequence number (extension on the filename after the period) you want here. If you are simultaneously taking data with collaborators (running their own separated TUI) you probably want to have Share Seq turned on. It will increment all users sequence numbers.

If you wish to add comments to your header, place them in the Comments field.

And lastly, if you wish the data to be Auto FTP to your computer (See setting up Auto FTP), select this option.

With all of this information set up we are now ready to take an exposure. Click on the Start button and your exposure will start. The above window shows an exposure in progress, lets look at some of the information that is displayed.

At the top of the screen you will see some information about the current exposure. The first line the Sequence Status line. In this case it says Seq Status flat, 130.0 sec 2 of 2 running. This tells us that the expousres are flats, they are 130.0 sec in duration ,and this image is number 2 of 2 total images. It also tells us that the sequence is currently running.

The next line is the Exposure Status line. It reads Integrating and the bar tells us how far into the exposure it is. The time at the end is to total time that this exposure has been running (the same as the bar, but in a numeric format). This line will also give information when the instrument is reading out (as well as countdown the readout time).

The third line tells who the user is that is currently taking the exposure, in this case it is JohnB who is a collaborator.

The fourth line displays any comments for this file.

The fifth and sixth line tell the filenames for the Blue and Red files (in this case only a blue image is being taken). It also gives the paths to the files along with the filenames. (the /export/images/ is left off).

Notice that this information is NOT the same as the information displayed in the lower part of the the window.  This is because there is a collaborator who is taking the data. Be careful if you have a collaborator taking data, as all of your buttons are active (you can ruin an exposure if you click on the wrong button).

Lets look at the various buttons on the bottom of the window.

Start - This button starts and exposure.

Pause - This button pauses the exposure, you can start it again later.

Stop - This button stops the exposure AND saves the current data to disk

Abort - This button aborts an exposure. It DOES NOT save the data.

Information in Yellow is NOT correct for this instrument!!!

Reference