Colorado College Phipps Observatory
Telescope Operating Instructions

Start-up | Pointing | Shut-down

Start-up

In the control room

1. Sign into the Observing Log.
2. Set switches on Front Panel to the following:
   • TRACK/AUX TRACK set to TRACK (up)
   • TRACK set to OFF (down)
   • DRIVES set to ON (up)
   • AUTO DOME set to ON (up)
   • DOME TRACK/HOME set to DOME TRACK (up)
     
     
3. Turn on computer using Front Panel switch, turn on monitor, and wait for desktop to appear.
4. On Front Panel, turn on Motor Driver Chassis, by switching the MTR DRIVER CHASSIS switch up. NOTE: Wait five seconds before going to the next step. It takes some time for the driver electronics to initialize.
5. Double click icon to open DFMTCS program.
   • Window will take a moment to load.
   • Wait until window moves to the upper right corner of the screen.

6. Double click icon to open The SkyX Pro program.

   • On Telescope tab, Status should be Not Connected (in red).
   • Select Start Up > Connect Telescope
     
     
   • Status will then update to Tracking at a sidereal rate (in green).

7. In DFM Control System window...

   • Select Telescope > Misc...
   • On Switches tab, enable both Dome switches by clicking the red buttons labeled Off and Home. They should change to green buttons labeled On and Track.
   • Click Apply and then close the Misc. Settings window.
     
     

8. On Front Panel, set TRACK switch to ON (up).

In the dome

1. Turn on computer monitor.
2. Connect plug to hanging switch and open the upper dome slit using the lever. Disconnect plug when finished.
3. Open the lower dome slit using the hand crank.
4. Using hand paddle, slew the telescope west about 30-40 degrees and south a few degrees so that you can easily remove the telescope cover. Be careful not to slew out of bounds.

Pointing

Pointing by using The SkyX Pro (Primary Method)

1. Select object on screen.
2. Click Slew.
3. Click Yes to confirm slew.

Pointing by entering RA and Dec (need to change these!!)

1. If starting from the MAIN MENU[^2], type 2 to select the Movement menu
2. Select 1. Set Slew Position from the MOVEMENT MENU.
3. Enter the RA and Dec and epoch of your object.[^3]
4. Once you have entered the coordinates, press Enter. SLEW ENABLED should flash on the screen. Type 7 to select the 7. Start slew menu item to move the telescope.

Pointing by using the DFM Catalog of Astronomical Objects

1. If starting from the MAIN MENU, type 2 to select the Movement menu
2. Select **3. Select library object ** from the Movement menu
3. Enter the three digit Object Number (NUM) from the DFM Catalog of Astronomical Objects.
4. Once you have entered the Object Number, press Enter. SLEW ENABLED should flash on the screen. Type 7 to select the 7. Start slew menu item to move the telescope.

Shut Down

In the control room

1. On Front Panel, set TRACK switch to OFF (down).
2. To put dome in home position:
   • In DFM Control System window...
     • Select Telescope > Misc...
     • On Switches tab, click green button labeled Track. (It should change to a red button labeled Home.)
       
       
     • Click Apply, then wait for dome to reach its home position.
     • Click the other green Done button labeled On. (It should change to a red button labeled Off.)
     • Click Apply again and then close the Misc. Settings window.
     • On Front Panel, set DOME TRACK/HOME switch to HOME (down).

In the dome

1. Make sure the crosshairs on the finder scope have been turned off.
2. Slew the telescope south and west again to replace the cover. Be careful not to slew out of bounds.
3. To move telescope to zenith position:
   • In DFM Control System window...
     • Select Telescope > Movement...
     • On Offset/Zenith tab, in Set Zenith Position box, click Apply.
     • Then click Start Slew and close the Movement window.
       
       
4. Close the lower dome slit first by using the hand crank.
5. Connect plug to hanging switch and close the upper dome slit using the lever. Disconnect plug when finished.
6. Turn off computer monitor.
7. Turn off red dome lights.

Back in the control room

1. In The SkyX Pro window...
   • Select Shut Down > Disconnect Telescope
     
     
2. Quit The SkyX Pro and DFM Control System windows.
   • Click Yes to confrim cquitting DFM Control System. Wait for the program to shut down before moving to the next step.
3. On Front Panel, to turn off the Motor Driver Chassis, set the MTR DRIVER CHASSIS switch to OFF (down).
4. Shut down computer from start menu.
5. Sign out of Observing Log.