SOAR Issue Status
Updated on December 16, 2022, 4:52 am
This page provides a brief summary of the status of significant issues with the SOAR Telescope and its associated instrumentation. The emphasis is on issues that are internal to SOAR. There are two tables - one comprising known issues, and the second second listing resolved issues in approximate reverse chronological order of resolution. The lists comprise only recurrent issues; responses to problems reported on individual night reports are not provided.
ACTIVE ISSUES
|
Issue |
Description |
Activity toward Resolution |
|
Remote connection speed |
Remote connections are slow, both for VNC and file downloads |
Setting up secure remote connections using newer firewall technology; deadline for switch is nominally start of Semester 2023A |
|
SOI not in service |
SOI is not available because guider detector failed; can only be operated by “borrowing” the EM CCD from another guider |
Move CCD from optical Nasmyth now that new guider has been implemented there. |
RESOLVED ISSUES (After Jun 2022)
|
Problem |
Date Resolved |
Description |
Solution |
|
Goodman internal flexure/jumps |
Dec 2022 |
Spectra would shift or jump during longer observations |
Visit from UNC repaired flexure compensation mechanism & trained local staff |
|
Goodman internal scattering |
Dec 2022 |
Internal reflection from camera barrel at certain (low) grating angles compromised flat fields and spectra |
Anodized camera barrel replaced with a barrel with a low-reflectivity coating |
|
Elevation brake faults |
Nov 2022 |
Mount control generated false brake fault alarms |
Implemented relevant part of new mount control hardware |
|
Elevation limit at 79 degrees |
Nov 2022 |
Damage to encoder tape prevented telescope from operating above ~79 degrees elevation |
New hardware (see previous) bypasses encoder that “sees” the damaged portion of the tape; a more permanent solution is pending. |
|
Rotator brake faults |
Aug 2022 |
Mount control generate false IR rotator brake faults |
Bypassed alarm trigger; will be fully resolved with new mount control hardware |