Nordic Optical Telescope

FIES observing Quick Reference Guide

This page provides a summary of the basic actions and commands that observers need to know to run FIES and the telescope.

Detailed information about FIES can be found here.
Detailed observing instructions for FIES can be found here.
Lists of Sequencer commands can be found here.

A screenshot of the FIES/STANCAM software can be found here .
In case of an ALFOSC override: a screenshot of the ALFOSC software can be found here .

In the afternoon

Update the TCS target catalog if necessary, and upload it to the TCS.
Find out the TCS access code of the day on TCS status page 1
Shutdown the FIES+STANCAM Sequencer, and shutdown the ALFOSC Sequencer: open a new terminal window, and do

[obs@selena]$ shutdownobssys alfosc
[obs@selena]$ ssh selena
[obs@selena]$ shutdownobssys fies
Kill all remaining windows on the lisa display
Startup the FIES+STANCAM Sequencer, and (always!) startup the ALFOSC Sequencer (for overrides)
In all FIES/STANCAM Sequencer windows change the working directory to the one assigned to your program, for instance
[obs@selena][STANCAM]$ cd ~obs/scripts/38-025
[obs@selena][FIES]$ cd ~obs/scripts/38-025
as in this directory your FIES observing scripts can be found, created, and executed.
Edit and test your scripts.
Run the fies-calibs script in the FIES Sequencer, and possibly take more calibration frames.
In case of an ALFOSC override:
- In the ALFOSC sequencer switch to the directory associated with the override program, for instance
  [obs@selena][ALFOSC]$ cd ~obs/scripts/38-035
- Run any calibration scripts that are required by the override program

At sunset

Open the dome, and power-on the telescope following the procedure in the Cookbook
In case of an ALFOSC override:
- Starting at sunset, run any sky-flat scripts that are required by the override program.
  See the ALFOSC sky-flat instructions
Once the telescope power is on, and possible ALFOSC flats have been taken, run the script
[obs@selena][FIES]$ tcs.setup-tel-fies
in a FIES/STANCAM Sequencer window. The script setup-tel-fies needs to be run after every swap between instruments (e.g. for overrides) as well.
When it is dark outside, switch on the two guiding monitors, and activate the guider at the TCS terminal :

tv-on
Note that tv-on needs to be issued every time the telescope has been parked at zenith.

At night: observe an object

Consider using the ADC.
Point the telescope using the TCS terminal, or use the tcs.append-object and tcs.guide-object or tcs.guide-object-with-parallactic commands in a Sequencer window.
Put the target on the fiber using the Acquisition Hints, or use script stancam.acquisition
Take a FIES spectrum and possibly some wavelength calibrations
Switch-off autoguiding with

[obs@selena][FIES]$ tcs.ag-off
before pointing the telescope to the next object
In case of an ALFOSC override:
- Switch to ALFOSC. In the ALFOSC Sequencer window, run the script
  
  [obs@selena][ALFOSC]$ tcs.setup-tel-alfosc
- If requested focus the telescope
- Run any scripts that are required by the override program
- When ready, switch back to FIES. In a FIES/STANCAM Sequencer window, run the script
  [obs@selena][FIES]$ tcs.setup-tel-fies

At the end of the night

In case of an ALFOSC override:
- Run any sky-flat and/or calibration scripts that are required by the override program
Close the dome, and power-off the telescope following the procedure in the Cookbook
Kill any ongoing StanCam movie
[obs@selena][STANCAM]$ stopmovie
Switch off all FIES calibration lamps:
[obs@selena][FIES]$ lamp 1 off
[obs@selena][FIES]$ lamp 4 off
[obs@selena][FIES]$ lamp 6 off
[obs@selena][FIES]$ lamp 7 off
Run the fies-calibs script in the FIES Sequencer, and possibly take more calibration frames.
Fill out the EON and/or EOR reports
If convenient, please close down the FIES/STANCAM observing system. Open a new terminal window, and do
[obs@selena]$ ssh selena
[obs@selena]$ shutdownobssys fies

Last modified: June 13 2023