Kitt Mountain Observation

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Below is the basic procedure followed while on the mountain at the Kitt Peak National Observatory 0.9m WIYN telescope. There are numerous checklists and procedures built into the observing process to insure the timely retrieval of useful data as well as safety of the observers and equipment. Upon entering the dome the S2KB camera status was checked using the ccdstat command in the command language, Image Reduction and Analysis Facility (IRAF), which controlled the CCD imaging chip to be sure that it was operating at a temperature of -109C and that all other systems were functioning normally. The Dewar, attached to the camera, was filled with liquid nitrogen every 12 hours in order to maintain the ideal temperature of -109°C. From the Dewar a copper ribbon ran to the CCD imaging chip,…show more content…
The images were saved to the KPNO network. The dome was then closed and CCD imaging chip refilled with liquid nitrogen. Reviewed images and labeled them according to the order in which they were taken. Discarded all images that were of poor quality. Selected valid flats and biases. Averaged the flats and biases to produce a master bias and flat. Subtracted the bias and divided the flat out of each image. Inverted the images vertically. Employed the use of Visual PinPoint in order to astrometrically reduce the images and to embed World Coordinate System data into the FITS header. Utilized data found in Sergeant (1974) paper concerning globular cluster positions. Used a procession calculator, found online, to convert the coordinate system from the outdated 1950 Epoch to the 2000 Epoch. Proceeded to plug in Sergeant's data into the calculator and re-checked for any errors. Used a digital development filter set to a kernel low pass more in MaximDL. Labeled the globular clusters according to the new coordinate system. Resized images to half-sized in order for them to fit onto the
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