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Harvard University

Astronomy Lab and Clay Telescope

dome

Using the Heliostat

Setup

1.  Open the lab window
2.  Go onto the deck and open the heliostat cover
3.  Plug in the power cord on the side of the heliostat
4.  Carefully remove mirror covers
5.  Align mirrors so the sun shines into the lab and on the top mirror
6.  Go back into the lab and turn on the heliostat motor
7.  Use the controls to move the mirrors
         Switch 1 should always be ‘on’
         Switch 2 should always be ‘enabled’
         Switch 3
                  Left control – CW moves image West
                                         CCW moves image East
                  Right control – CW moves image South
                                           CCW moves image North
         Switch 4 should be on ‘hold’ to be stationary or ‘run’ to move
         DO NOT adjust the speed…it’s sensitive!

CCD setup

1.  Make sure CCD is plugged into the computer and into the power strip
2.  Place the CCD on the spectrograph stand and align it
3.  Open MaximDL
4.   Go to view CCD control window
5.  In CCD control window, under setup tab
         a.  Click ‘connect’
         b.  Click ‘cooler on’
6.  Under expose tab, adjust exposure time and click ‘expose’

 

Heliostat controls