CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

Observing Report for 2016

Norm Vargas

March 13, 2017

Carnegie Observatories

Pasadena, CA

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

Observing Report Topics

• Observing statistics

• Nights attempted 2006-2016

• Nights with data 2016

• Nights without data 2016

• Why We Didn’t Collect Data

• Hindrances to Data Collection

• Seeing trends in 2016

• Who were the Winners?

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

Observing Statistics

• 220 nights scheduled in 2016. We started in mid-May

to get as much of the AO installations done at the

telescopes.

• 163 nights with at least one observation

• 74.1% success rate

• 57 nights without data

• 0 nights without a report!

• Best seeing reported: July 15, 16.34cm mean

• 22.0cm 10min. avg., 24.9cm instantaneous.

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

Observing Statistics

• Best stretches of nights with data:

41 nights from July 25 to September 3

27 nights from to June 26 to July 22

• Worst stretch of nights with no data:

• 8 nights from December 16 to 23

• Worst equipment failure: Tiptilt camera

controller

• 1 night lost, November 30

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

Nights Attempted 2006-2016

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

Nights with Data 2016

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

Nights Without Data 2016

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

Why We Didn’t Get Data

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Seeing

Wind

Equipment

Humidity

Clouds

Rain/snow

Ash

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

Hindrances to Data Collection

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

CLOUDS

HUMIDITY

WIND

SEEING

RAIN/SNOW

EQUIPMENT

ASH/SMOKE

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

Sand Fire Santa Clarita July 22

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

Seeing trends for 2016

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Nights above 10cm Mean Seeing

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

Seeing trends for 2016

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Best Seeing Each Month

CHARA 2017: Year 13 Science Review –Adaptive Optics and Open Access

Who were the Winners?• July 15 16.34cm MIRC Gail

• July 25 16.00cm VEGA Nicholas and Fred

• July 10 14.34cm FRIEND Philippe and Marc-Antoine

• October 8 14.13cm MIRC Ryan

• September 8 14.06cm MIRC Ryan

• July 17 13.98cm MIRC Gail and Alexandre

• July 19 13.96cm MIRC Gail and Alexandre

• July 8 13.87cm FRIEND Philippe, Marc-Antoine & Roxanne

• September 7 13.78cm MIRC Ryan

• August 5 13.68cm CLASSIC/PAVO Tabby and Kaspar

• October 21 13.44cm MIRC Narsi and Claire

• November 14 13.31cm MIRC Gail