1. Magellan Telescopes Observatory Report
Personnel
Accomplishments
Observing Statistics
Common Problems

2. Personnel
Marc Leroy was promoted to the position of Assistant Magellan Telescope Engineer in December
A search is currently underway for two Instrument Specialists to begin working on ~July 1
Six candidates (2 internal + 4 external) will be interviewed on ~June 9 and offers made shortly thereafter
This will give us two Instrument Specialists per shift
When both are on the mountain, the plan is to have one work an 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. shift, and the other a 1 p.m. to midnight shift (this plan will need to follow a training period)

3. Accomplishments
Iodine cell for MIKE installed on retractable arm (Dec)
Currently under manual control
Software control to be implemented by mid-2005
S-H tests carried out at NASE and NASW ports to characterize collimation of M1, M2, and M3 (Dec, Jan, Mar)
Significant tilt in focal plane found at both ports suggesting tilt error in M3
Adjustments of M3 tilt made in Mar appear to have significantly decreased focal plane tilt

4. Accomplishments (cont.)
M3 turret control for Clay telescope completed (Feb)
Allows automatic adjustment of M3 tilt during port changes
Preliminary tests indicate ~11 minutes required to switch ports (move to zenith, rotate tertiary, move to new object)
This is a prerequisite for implementation of Intervention Observing
Baade telescope M1 & M3 aluminize, ADC cleaned (Mar)
Clay telescope M1 & M3 washed (Apr)
Full collimation procedures performed for both Baade and Clay following aluminizing/washing (Mar/Apr)

5. Accomplishments (cont.)
Continued commissioning of IMACS (Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb)
Out-of-focus images taken at f/2 in Jan
Analysis of these images carried out by D. Kelson confirms results from previous Hartmann mask tests which showed that IMACS optics are producing a tilted focal plane
Out-of-focus f/2 images also reveal a significant pattern of coma that is offset from the field center
Out-of-focus images taken at f/4 in Feb reveal a less significant pattern that does not match exactly that from the f/2 images - perhaps indicating problems internal to the camera(s)

6. Accomplishments (cont.)
Web-based slit mask file submission software tested
Ready for use by IMACS observers
LDSS-3 to follow shortly thereafter
LDSS-3 Commissioning (Feb, Mar)
M. Gladders will report on this
B&C spectrograph decommissioned (Mar)
Collimator returned to CTIO
All-Sky camera installed (Apr)

7. CASCA: Campanas All-Sky Camera

8. Accomplishments (cont.)
Plan developed for long-term systems administration
Internet access will be through CTIO (instead of the Chilean telephone company)
Systems administration to be out-sourced to CTIO
MOU has been agreed to, and work is already beginning on making the transition (which will probably take several months)

9. Observing Statistics Baade Telescope Instrumentation Usage:
12 Apr 2004-
20 Sep 2004
21 Sep 2004-
12 Apr 2005
IMACS
71%
63%
PANIC
29%
37%

10. Observing Statistics Clay Telescope Instrumentation Usage:
12 Apr 2004-
20 Sep 2004
21 Sep 2004-
12 Apr 2005
MIKE
61%
51%
MIKE fibers - 7%
LDSS-2 4%
14%
LDSS-3
13%
MagIC
16%
B&C
19% 8%

11. Observing Statistics Baade + Clay Telescopes Instrumentation Usage:
12 Apr 2004-
20 Sep 2004
21 Sep 2004-
12 Apr 2005
IMACS
36%
31%
MIKE
30%
26%
MIKE fibers - 3%
PANIC
15%
18%
LDSS-2 2% 7%
LDSS-3
B&C 9% 4%
MagIC 8%

12. Long-Term Trends: Instrument Usage
May 2001 through Apr 2005
May 01-Oct 01
Nov 01- Apr 02
May 02-Oct 02
Nov 02-Apr 03
May 03-Oct 03
Nov 03-Apr 04
Apr 04-Sep 04
Sep 04-Apr 05
MagIC+CCD
20%
31%
13%
18%
15% 8% 4%
B&C
44%
17%
34% 6% 9%
LDSS-2
28%
40%
19%
10% 2% 7%
LDSS-3 --
MIRAC 3%
Classic Cam
MIKE
30%
26%
MIKE fibers
PANIC
21%
IMACS
29%
36%

13. Observing Statistics 21 Sep 2004-12 Apr 2005: Baade Clay % Open 88.4
88.6
% Lost to Weather
9.6
9.4
% Lost to Telescope
0.9
1.3
% Lost to Instrument
0.7
0.5
% Lost to Computer
0.4
0.3
% Total Downtime
2.0
2.1

14. Observing Statistics Instrument Downtime: 12 Apr 2004- 20 Sep 2004
MIKE
0.0%
0.2%
MIKE fibers --
4.6%*
MagIC
0.5%
LDSS-2
LDSS-3
B&C
IMACS
1.3%
PANIC
1.1%
*Mostly due to problems with blue CCD

15. Long-Term Trends Baade Clay % Open 74.8 85.6 67.1 94.4 71.4 92.7 69.9
May 01-Oct 01
Nov 01- Apr 02
May 02-Oct 02
Nov 02-Apr 03
May 03-Oct 03
Nov 03-Apr 04
Apr 04-Sep 04
Sep 04-Apr 05
% Open
74.8
85.6
67.1
94.4
71.4
92.7
69.9
88.4
% Lost to Weather
20.6
9.7
31.1
3.1
23.7
4.3
27.4
9.6
% Lost to Telescope
1.3
3.6
1.1
1.4
2.7
1.8
0.9
% Lost to Instrument
2.5
1.0
0.7
0.6
2.1
1.5
% Lost to Computer
0.4
0.2
0.1
0.5
0.0
% Total Downtime
4.2
4.8
1.9
4.9
2.8
2.0
Clay
May 01-Oct 01
Nov 01- Apr 02
May 02-Oct 02
Nov 02-Apr 03
May 03-Oct 03
Nov 03-Apr 04
Apr 04-Sep 04
Sep 04-Apr 05
% Open --
76.6
89.2
81.3
93.1
69.8
88.6
% Lost to Weather
13.6
4.3
16.1
26.9
9.4
% Lost to Telescope
7.5
4.4
2.1
1.6
2.8
1.3
% Lost to Instrument
1.5
1.9
0.4
0.8
0.1
0.5
% Lost to Computer
0.9
0.2
0.3
% Total Downtime
9.9
6.5
2.6
2.5
3.3

16. Most Common Problems: Telescopes
Primary mirror support (mirror panics, faulty actuators)
Campaign underway to seal air cylinders in actuators; redesign of actuator electronics cards in progress; ~50% of all time lost on both telescopes is due to these problems (but improvement is being seen)
Guiders
Rotators

17. Most Common Problems: Instruments
IMACS: f/2 filter server, disperser server, guiders
PANIC: quadrant noise / drop out
MIKE & MIKE fibers: Occasional freeze of GUI (resulting in lost exposure), dark counts in blue CCD
LDSS-3 (and LDSS-2): shutter failure (with no warning)

18. Other Continuing Problems:
Laser Mask Cutter
Masks files continue to be submitted less than 30 days before observing runs
We continue to have a variety of failures including, but not limited to
Lost axis encoder positions
Lost shutter control of laser
Various PLC or system-level failures that are only fixed by doing a full power reset
Operations staff lack adequate training in problem resolution
There are no tools for continuing to cut a mask once a failure has occurred (one must start all over again)
All of the above result in wasted time for operations staff

19. Other Continuing Problems:
Cryogenic Compressor Lines & Connectors
We have all but exhausted our supply of spare short (6'-10') cryo-lines due to failed o-rings or internal contamination in the connectors following excessive connect-disconnect cycles
We do not have sufficient spare compressors or long cryo-lines (if we were to have a serious failure)
On several occasions we have forced observers to abandon an instrument for a night due to failed cool down that required a complete warm-up of the system in order to presumably remove a blockage at the cryohead
On a greater number of occasions we have recovered from failed cool down in time for observations, but at a cost of extra effort
Operations staff lack adequate training in operations and maintenance
The service interval for CryoTiger compressors is meant to be about 1-2 years, but we have no plans (nor funds) in place for regular maintenance of compressors and lines