User's Guide to the Gemini Twin-Arrays Infrared Camera

Table of Contents

Introduction
Quick Reference
What is Gemini?
Summary Table
Quick start - for the expert
Not so quick start - set-up
Graphical User Interface
More About Gemini
Signal-to-Noise Estimates
Filters
Sampling Modes
Writing Scripts
Observing Recipes
Computer Setup
Testing the Arrays
Instrument Maintenance and Trouble-Shooting
Logsheet
Mt. Hamilton Homepage

Quick Reference

  1. Check Temperatures

    Channel 1) ~58K - 61K
    2) ~78K - 80.5K Varies with telescope position, if > 87K then out of LN2
    3) Broken
    4) Broken
    5) ~75K
    Controller Temperatures1) ~11K
    2) ~30K

  2. Fill Liquid Nitrogen. This is typically done by observatory staff.

    *** Warning ***


    1. Don't get too close to the instrument with the forklift.
    2. Wait for plastic fill tube to become soft again before taking it out of the camera.

  3. Turn on motor drivers in the back of the camera (top left switch).

  4. Testing system:

    1. Go to "Engineering Menu" and click on READ SWITCHES.
    2. If all primary Switches are on, then OK; press ESC.
    3. If not, something is out of position (may have to reinitialize motors).
    4. Press F4 to take an exposure on both channels with default setup.
    5. Ensure that both chips display their Bias Frames (check manual for more detail).

  5. Check cables:

    1. Check during a large slew.
    2. Check frequently (every 15 minutes) when telescope more than 3 hours in Hour Angle.
    3. Due to noise signals from the slew motors and the long cables, it is advisable to do a PC-T Reset (in the Engineering menu of the data taking software) after every telescope slew, as the noise can disrupt communications between the computer and the instrument.

  6. Exiting Windows and starting Gemini

    1. Click Start button.
    2. Click Shutdown....
    3. Click Restart in MS-DOS mode.
    4. Do not be alarmed if you see the message
      "Cannot find WIN.COM, unable to continue loading Windows".
    5. At C:\ prompt type gemini /licktcs.
    6. Do Not initialize motors when asked. Type N (or press Enter).
    7. Check or correct the "General Setup" and press ESC.

  7. To FTP data you need to exit the Gemini program and start Windows. NOTE: you must put data in /data/gemini/ on gouda for it to be archived properly in the on-line data archive, http://mthamilton.ucolick.org/data/ (if you need to set or reset your data access password, contact a SupportAstronomer).

    1. Exit Gemini program.
    2. At C:\ type wi.
    3. Double click on FTP to Gouda shortcut.
    4. Enter username and password (username is user, password can be gotten from the telescope technician or support astronomer on duty).
    5. Type bin to convert to binary mode.
    6. Type prompt to disable interactive mode.
    7. Type cd /data to change to gouda's /data directory.
    8. Type mkdir gemini to make directory to put Gemini data in. Please do not use a different directory. For data to be saved in the archive it must be in /data/gemini/ on gouda.
    9. Type cd gemini to change to the proper directory.
    10. Type mput ddmm*.fts, where ddmm is the day and month abbreviation used for the data files, e.g. mput 31ja*.fts.
    11. When data are finished copying, move to the gouda console to confirm your data were properly copied by doing the following:
      1. cd /data/gemini
      2. Make sure all your data are in the directory.
      3. Use ds9 or similar software to check a few files to make sure they are properly readable.
      4. Send an email to mh-techs@ucolick.org alerting the telescope technicians and support astronomers that the Gemini data are copied from the Gemini PC to gouda.

  8. At the end of each night

    1. Fill camera with LN2, usually done by observatory staff.
    2. Turn off motor drivers.
    3. FTP your data to gouda's /data/gemini directory.
    4. Check disk space on Gemini's D: drive. If more than half full contact a support astronomer to make sure data are properly archived and clear up disk space.

  9. Emergency Contacts:
    Please contact Elinor Gates first in case of difficulties, then any of the other support astronomers, before contacting Ian McLean or George Brims.

    Ian McLeanUCLA: (310) 206-7535
    Email: mclean@astro.ucla.edu
    George BrimsUCLA: (310) 206-7536
    Email: brims@astro.ucla.edu
    Elinor GatesLICK: (831) 459-5910
    Cell: (408) 202-1691
    Email: egates@ucolick.org

Last modified: Mon Dec 23 11:52:26 PST 2013 by Elinor Gates