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Daily Reports

Nov 5th, Tuesday

Rémi, Léo, Simon, Ste B., Léa, Ioannis and maaaaaany others arrived at the observatory.

We start the week in the best possible way...

15:30 - 17:00; Ioannis: System check.

17:00 - 21:00; Rémi, Léo, Simon, Stefano, Lea & Ioannis: NIKA2 training + observations. Note that scans 20241105s57 to 20241105s69 that we did during the training were done with the polarization .ini file, where the DAQ frequency is 46.12 Hz but the HWP was stopped. Starting from scan 20241105s70, the HWP is also in use properly. After training we did polarimetry observations: one repetition of project 043-24, source G75.78. Skydip calibration scan: 20241105s78.

21:00 - 03:00; Léa & Stefano. We take over and continue with polarimetry:
- one repetition of source G75.78 for project 043-24.
- pointing, focus, pointing, beammap (95 sub-scans, 20241105s111), calib_1scan (20241105s112) on Uranus.
Then we switch to total power and we proceed with:
- calib_1scan (20241105s114) and beammap (99 sub-scans, 20241105s115, we use option "a" even if the elevation is high, thanks to the new servo system) on Uranus in total power
- skydip (20241105s116)
- 011-24, orion-b-4 (w/ homology problems); orion-b-5; orion-b-6 (w/ other problems); one repetition each.

Nov 6th, Wednesday

03:00 - 09:00; Rémi: NIKA2 observations continue in total power with good weather conditions, tau225 ~ 0.2-0.3.
- pointing, focus and calib_1scan (20241106s18) on Uranus.
- 1.5 repetitions of source A520 for project 089-24.
- pointing and calib_1scan (20241106s31) on Mars.
- skydip (20241106s33)
- very good beam size on bright pointing targets (17.5x17.5" for Ar2)
- 3 repetitions of source PSZG201 for project 091-24.
- 1 repetition of source PSZG186 for project 090-24.

09:00 - 13:45; Léo: NIKA2 observations continue in total power with good weather conditions, tau225 ~ 0.3.
From 9:00 to 10:00 (local time), I observed PSZ2G186 for Project 090-24 (7 out of 11). Then pointing, focus and calib_1scan on Mars (20241106s62). Then I did another scan (8 out of 11) of PSZ2G186 waiting for the target NGC4449 to get below 75deg. From 11:30 to 11:45, I did another pointing focus. Then I observed NGC4449 for project 074-24. We encountered issues during scan 79, and scans 80 to 83 were canceled. I did another pointing on the source 1226+023, no focus needed. I observed NGC4449 for project 074-24. And I did a skydip (scan 20241106s89). During all observations the atmosphere was stable (from +/- 1Jy/beam to +/- 2Jy/beam) but after scan 75 it started to be a little bit cloudy and tau225 was above 0.33 and reached 0.44 during the scan 87 .

13:45 - 20:00; Ioannis: Change to EMIR with the aim to do WSw tests after OHB intervention to solve the blanking signal phases problem. In the end this took a long time due to bad weather (tau225 up to 0.6, couldn't point even using EMIR 3mm band) and several technical problems, mainly related with the holography stops and spindle errors. In the end we managed to recover the system and do a few WSw scans, which are currently analyzed/checked. Results looked normal in the online reduction screens with any backend used (FTS, WILMA, BBC).

20:00 - 21:00; Ioannis: Observations EMIR backup project 058-24, one repetition of NOTF13V and half repetition of NOTF14H completed.

21:00 - 00:30; Joaquín: EMIR efficiency observations on Uranus in the elevation range 40 to 70 degrees.

Nov 7th, Thursday

Know your Planets:

00:40 - 3:00; Lea & Stefano. We take over after switching back to NIKA2 (total power):
- [IM] When changing back to NIKA2, communication with crate 2 was lost and needed a power cycle. Worked fine after that. - the "new" make-imbf has stopped. We try to restart it, following JT's instructions, but we don't have the necessary permissions to read/write some files. Therefore we are now using the "old" make-imbf (slower).
- calibrations on Uranus: calib_1scan (20241107s2) and beammap (20241107s3, total power, 99 sub-scans, we use option "a" even if the elevation is high, thanks to the new servo system)
- Jean re-started the "new" make-imbf (from a bar at the far end of the world! cit.). Thank you!
- skydip (20241107s4)
- 091-24, 1 repetitions of source PSZ2G172

03:00 - 09:00; Rémi: NIKA2 observations continue in total power with good weather conditions, tau225 ~ 0.2-0.3.
- pointing and focus on Uranus.
- 2 repetitions of source A520 for project 089-24.
- pointing and calib_1scan (20241107s31) on Uranus.
- calib_1scan on CRL618 (20241107s33) and ALFORI (20241107s35).
- pointing, focus and calib_1scan (20241107s42) on Mars.
- 2 repetitions of source PSZ2G201 for project 091-24.
- pointing on Mars.
- skydip (20241107s54)
- we change to project 074-24 and Léo takes over.

09:00 - 15:00; Léo: NIKA2 observations continue in total power with good weather conditions, tau225 ~ 0.2-0.3. I did 1 repetition of NGC4449 for project 074-24. A focus and switched to project 090-24, did 1 repetition on source PSZ2G186. Then pointing and focus, and back to project 074-24 for 3 repetitions on NGC4449. Pointing and again 3 repetitions on NGC4449. Pointing, focus and 4 repetitions on NGC4449. Finally, 1 calib_1scan on CRL2688 (20241107s107) and 1 calib_1scan on MCW349 (20241107s108).

15:00 - 21:00; Simon: Initially focus and the atmosphere were unstable, FWHM was a bit high. Later focus got stable and tau225 decreased below 0.2. We started with NIKA2 in total power and observed one rep of source PSZ2G066 for project 091-24. Next, we performed pointing and focus using quasar 2251+158. Focus changed from 0.26 to 0.8 mm. We considered focus is unstable, hence we didn't go for polarimetry projects yet. We resumed with a new repetition of source PSZ2G066 for project 091-24 (2/4). Tau225 keeps below 0.2. Pointing and focus on bright quasar 2251+158 to check focus stability. We considered focus stable, hence we started polarimetry mode to observe project 043-24.

A nice way to wake up and open the blinds... Good morning!

21:00 - 03:00; Lea & Stefano: we take over in polarimetry mode:
- awesome beam (see Tapas) and awesome stability
- two repetition on G75.78 for project 043-24
- it's getting cloudy outside and tau(225) seems to slightly start climbing above 0.2
- Uranus calib_1scan (20241107s190) and beammap-95 (20241107s191)
- brief pointing session while the sky is evolving fast
- CRL618 and Uranus calib_1scan (20241108s7 and 20241108s14)
- the NIKA2 tradition is kept and renewed
At 00:50 UT tau(225)>0.4. We stop and we switch to EMIR:
- project 009-24

A better view of yesterday's planet:

Nov 8th, Friday

03:00 - 09:00; Rémi: The sky condition were getting worse and worse along the shift. I continued project 009-24 during all the shift, and stopped around 7:30-8:00 after finishing running 3 repetitions.
- start by launching 3 repetitions (20mn x 3 with different scripts)
- pointing on mars
- launching 3 repetitions (20mn x 3 with different scripts)
- pointing and focus on mars
- pointing on 0727-115, bad but more or less consistent with mars results
- checking also with pointing on 0736+017, unusable, so keep mars pointing and go to science target
- launching 3 repetitions (20mn x 3 with different scripts)
- finishing by checking the pointing on mars but the end of the observations were getting really bad
- we went to project "test" to try a few other sources for calibration, e.g. around next project, but this remained to be bad

09:00 - 15:00; Léo: Observation with EMIR, really cloudy except some patches without clouds in the sky. Pointing and focusing on Mars, nearby pointing and observing MAPS 5 for EMIR backup project 042-24. Pointing and Vertical scanning of MAP9. Not completed and cancelled during the second to last scan because it started to rain.

15:00 - 21:00; Simon: Shift starts in EMIR mode, but with bad weather conditions. We waited long to resume observations. Finally, around 20:30 tau225 dropped and we started EMIR project 017-24 with tau225 ~ 0.5.

21:00 - 03:00; Lea & Stefano: we take over at 21:00. EMIR is on and Simon has started observing only 5 minutes ago, after a long day waiting for the weather to get better. Simon stays with us for roughly the first hour. tau(225)=0.45. We observe project 017-24 with EMIR: XX repetitions of source B5_HSEdge (7 repetitions).

At 22:40 UT, tau(225)=0.18, the falling trend is flattening. We wake up and switch to NIKA2 (total power). The Telescope Observing Chill playlist keeps us company. We proceed with:
- Uranus, pointing, focus, pointing, calib_1scan (20241108s198), beam map (20241108s199), skydip, pointing
- 091-24, 2 repetitions on PSZ2G172
- tau(225) reached 0.09!
- 087-24, 1 repetition on ID321 (now completed!)

Nov 9th, Saturday

03:00 - 09:00; Rémi: I start with excellent weather. Rapid change around 4:30am with poor data despite low tau. Stabilization with descent data. Then getting very bad.
- project 87-24, 1 rep of 2x4 scans (id 303), excellent weather and data
- Uranus pointing, focus and calib_1scan (20241109s25)
- start project 089-24, no pointing since Uranus is pretty close, 1 rep of 6 scans, the weather is changing quickly and the data are not so good despite the low tau
- changing back to project 87-24, pointing on 0836+710 (great beam, no focus)
- 1 rep of 2x4 scans (id303); the weather is now more stable but the opacity increased
- conditions are getting bad but the target is where the sky is clear and the quicklooks are descent so I try another rep
- 1/2 rep of 1x4 scans (id303) ; stop half-way given the weather
- stop the project, the last scan, or last 2 scans are getting too bad
- pointing and calib_1scan on CRL618 (20241109s48)
- pointing and calib_1scan on Mars (20241109s50)

09:00 - 15:00; Léo: No observations due to bad weather.

15:00 - 21:00; Simon: Weather improved rapidly and we start NIKA-pol. We observed project 046-24 with 1 repetition. Amazing weather conditions. Then we observed project 043-24 with NIKA-pol, repetition 5/7 for source G75. At tau 0.3 atmosphere was very stable, so we run new repetition of project 043-24 (6/7 for source G75). Calibrations during the shift: skydip (20241109s138), calib_1scan on CRL2688 (20241109s149) and calib_1scan on NGC7027 (20241109s151).

21:00 - 03:00; Lea & Stefano: we take over at 21:00 (local time). NIKA is observing in polarimetry and we let the scans started by Simon continue. Here follow today's operations:
- continuing one repetition on G75.78 in polarimetry (043-24).
- after the sky stability check, another repetition on G75.78 in polarimetry (043-24) -> completed (7 reps. in total)!
- tau is stable at tau(225)=~0.3
- sky stability evaluated on the Az sub-scan of pointing. It stays within +/- 1to2 Jy/beam from the beginning of the shift (20:00 UT) to at least 00:00 UT
- the beam is also very stable
- calibration (polarimetry) on Uranus; calib_1scan (20241109s176)
- skydip (pol)
- we switch to total power @22:30 UT and we're back online at 22:40 UT
- skydip (total power)
- calibration on Uranus (total power); calib_1scan (20241109s186)
- 091-24, one repetition on PSZ2G172
- midnight problem: some mrt-lx1 security certificate expired and this blocked the scan and the entire control system (and Granada net(?), including Tapas). Joaquín is trying to recover the system.
- at 1:00 UT we have to surrender. The telescope is parked. So much for Saturday Night's Fever!

SB: operations were restarted at ~4 a.m. Special thanks to our hero Antonio, who solved the problem in the middle of the night!!!

Nov 10th, Sunday

03:00 - 09:00; Rémi: At 3 am, the telescope is stuck because of a problem of certificate that has expired. I go back to bed. At 4am++, the operator calls me because they manage to solve the issue with some temporary solution. Along the shift, the weather is good, with opacity around 0.25, but with some instabilities from time to time that I can see in the quicklooks. Before I come back, the operator as already launched a pointing on Uranus and it was still on project 091-24. TAPAS works fine for the science project, but not for the nikas-24 project. Therefore, I list a few more details here to enter on tapas later. Here is what I did:
- pointing on Uranus since the imbfits were not produced in the previous one, the beam is great (17.1x17.5) so not focus
- start project 089-24 (Uranus is close enough, so I don't do another pointing)
- 1 rep on A520
- pointing and focus on Uranus
- calib_1scan on Uranus (20241110s19)
- calib_1scan on ALFORI (20241110s21)
- pointing on Mars and calib_1scan (20241110s23)
- start project 091-24 since we are very close
- 2 reps PSZ2G210 (COMPLETED)
- skydip (20241110s34)
- pointing and focus on Mars
- start project 087-24
- 1 rep on id386 (COMPLETED)

09:00 - 15:00; Léo: NIKA2 observations continue in total power with good weather conditions, tau225 ~ 0.25.
- pointing and focus on 1226+023. Atm rms 1.9 Jy/beam.
- Observation of MS1054, one repetition for project 149-23.
- Switch to project 074-24, observation of NGC4449, 2 repetitions.
- Pointing and focus on 1226+023.
- Continue observation of NGC 4449, 8 repetitions.
- Pointing and focus on K3-50A.
- calib_1scan on MWC349 (20241110s101).
- calib_1scan on GRL2688 (20241110s102).
- skydip (20241110s103).

15:00 - 21:00; Simon, Ioannis: Starting NIKA-Pol observations. Tried pointing and focus on various bright targets. Results show varying beam conditions. When using 2251+158, we get strong tracking variations possibly due to unfavorable antenna orientation wrt the wind direction, although wind levels are not too high, ~ 10 m/s but with possibly strong gusts. When moving to another target far away, 1641+399, the tracking errors are much reduced and slowly the beam stabilized. We observed (and finished) project 046-24, one repetition. Then pointing and focus on 2251+158. Then we observed project 043-24, source IRAS21078, one repetition. Later moved to NGC7027, MWC349 and CRL2688 for calib_1scan on all of them (20241110s170, 20241110s172 and 20241110s174, respectively). Then calib_1scan on Uranus (20241110s176) and a skydip (20241110s177).

21:00 - 03:00; Lea & Stefano: we take over shortly after 21:00 (local time). We quickly complete the NIKA2-Pol calibrations started by Simon and then we switch to EMIR, because tau(225)>0.45. We observe project 017-24, source B5_HSEdge (13 repetitions). We switch to NIKA2 @00:50 UT and start observing after ~10 minutes: tau(225)~0.4 is accepted by project 087-24. The nikas-24 Tapas is still not working, therefore we are not inserting any comments there. Stability @1:20 UT: +/- 1 Jy/beam at 2 mm, peak to peak, measured on the Az sub-scan of the pointing close to the science target. We observe one repetition of source ID303 and then we give the stage to Remi.

Our "brand new" telescope is soooo white!!!!! And soooo orange!

Nov 11th, Monday

03:00 - 09:00; Rémi: Pretty variable conditions... And the taumeter is not a good proxy of the conditions here. In brief: I start with very good condition in terms of stability, doing project 087-24 launched by Stefano ; then I change to my project (089-24) and the condition get pretty unstable (see the jumps in the taumeter, from what I see outside some thin clouds are also passing by there and there but it is difficult to see in the night), I continue with calibration with similar conditions ; at this stage I am very tempted to switch to EMIR, but in fact going outside the sky is very clear and nice except in some parts where clouds are passing by (hence the taumeter fluctuations). Therefore, I go back to project 087-24 and finish it in pretty good conditions overall. The clouds are evolving. I go to project 090-24 to do 1 rep on PSZ2G186 at el~80 where the sky is clear. Conditions are ok except for the last scan maybe, where some clouds arrive. Then Leo arrives and we decide to move to his source after checking the conditions on nearby sources. All in all, playing a lot with the clouds and checking the sky every 10 mn. Not an easy shift... Here is the details of observations:
- Project 087-24, continue 1 rep on id303
- pointing, focus and calib_1scan (20241111s34) on Uranus
- project 089-24, 1/2 rep on A0520. At this stage the conditions got very unstable with atmo rms up to 50 Jy/beam for some scans
- pointing on CRL618 (x2 since no IMBfits), calib_1scan on CRL618 (20241111s42). the beam is good
- calib_1scan on ALFORI (20241111s44)
- pointing and calib_1scan (20241111s46) on Mars
- skydip (20241111s47)
- project 087-24, 1 rep on id 303, finishing the project
- project 090-24, 1 rep on PSZ2G186
- Leo arrives, we are not sure what to do, playing with clouds.
- We do some checks on nearby quasars and decide to go to his source since the data look pretty good there (high elevation, no cloud for now)

09:00 - 15:00; Léo: NIKA2 full power, good weather, tau~0.3 and atm very stable (rms ~0.2 Jy/beam):
- Pointing and focus on Mars, calib_1scan (20241111s74)
- Project 074-24 : observation of NGC4449, 6 repetitions, it started to be cloudy during the last repetition (cf tapas)
- At 12:20 (local time) the weather got bad, so we tried to change for EMIR observations but it was too foggy and we couldn't see any signal => we stopped observation.

15:00 - 21:00; Simon: No observations due to constant fog and high opacity. At 20:30 LT we started a few pointings with Emir. Opacity got lower. Next shift was preparing NIKA observations of project 091-24.

21:00 - 03:00; Lea & Stefano: after a long day in the clouds with no observations, we take over with clear skies and we start NIKA2 (total power):
- tau(225)~0.3-0.35, very stable +/-1 Jy/beam peak to peak @2mm, measured on the Az sub-scan of pointing scans.
- calibration round on MWC349 (20241111s113), NGC7027 (20241111s114), CRL2688 (20241111s115)
- 091-24, source PSZ2G113, 3 repetitions (starting at Az,El=176,78 deg and ending at ~265,50 deg) [NOTE: 25 minutes lost/wasted b/c of homology problems; to be compensated]
- Uranus; calib_1scan (20241112s3); beam map (20241112s4); skydip (20241112s5)
- 089-24, source A0520, 1 repetition

We close this good pool week with a wonderful moonset:

Nov 12th, Tuesday

03:00 - 09:00; Rémi: Smooth night, opacity decreasing smoothly over the night and stable conditions. Pretty good data. The beam was stable over the full night. Some issues with the imbfits that are not created (at least not fast enough), implying to relaunch some pointings. Details:
- project 089-24: continue the repetition on A0520 that was started
- Uranus pointing and calib_1scan (20241112s14)
- project 089-24: 1 repetition on A0520
- CRL618 pointing and calib_1scan (20241112s22)
- project 091-24: 4 reps on PSZ2G143
- skydip (20241112s45)
- project 090-24: pointing on 0923+392 (beam ok) and 1 rep on PSZ2G186

09:00 - 10:30; Léo and Ioannis: Continue with repetition of PSZ2G186 (project 090-24). Homology problem with last scan of repetition, probably not usable. Pointing and focus on 1226+023. Change to project 074-24 and did 0.5 repetition on NGC4449. Finally, we stop for the Tuesday maintenance.