====== Quick Start Guide ======

This quick guide outlines the steps necessary to start observing with Sharc II or Sharp. The [[http://www.submm.caltech.edu/~sharc/|Sharc]] and [[http://lennon.astro.northwestern.edu/SHARP|Sharp]] documentation have further details. Please also review the general [[cso:observing:operating]]. Remote observers, please review the remote observing [[cso:policy:remote_obs|policy]] and [[cso:observing:remoteobs|instructions]].

===== Setup =====

  - At the telescope, login to kilauea with the sharc account. Consult staff for password. \\ Remote observers, please use your own computer.
  - Check the detector temperature is about 0.35 K.
    * [[cso:observing:remoteobs#connect_to_the_vnc_desktop_s|Connect]] to view the fridge monitor. \\ ''comp% **csovnc.pl -l sharc sharc.fridge**''
      * Consult staff for passwords.          
    * [[cryo#Cycle]] the Sharc <sup>3</sup>He fridge at least a few hours before starting to observe.

=== Telescope ===

  - [[cso:observing:remoteobs#connect_to_the_vnc_desktop_s|Connect]] to the UIP desktop.  \\ ''comp% **csovnc.pl -l sharc uip**''
    * Consult staff for passwords.          
  - In the lower right xterm, login with the sharc account. \\ ''kilauea$ **ssh sharc@kilauea**''
  - Start the UIP. \\ ''kilauea/sharc> **uip**'' 
  - Enable control mode, if necessary. \\ ''uip> **pundit true**''
  - Point to the east at 45° zenith angle and open the [[cso:telescope:shutter|shutter]]. \\ ''__uip__> **az 90**'' ! East \\ ''__uip__> **za 45**'' ! for DSOS initialization \\  ''__uip__> **shutter /open**''   
    * Avoid the sun.
    * When [[cso:policy:remote_obs|remote observing]], please wait until 1 hour after sunset before moving the telescope or opening the shutter.
    * At the telescope, 
      * Pull the red stop button before opening the shutter or moving the telescope,
      * Check for possible collisions before slewing the telescope (ladders, sidecab, etc.), and
      * Close all doors toward telescope.
  - Set the UIP to continuum mode and select Sharc2. \\ ''__uip__> **instrument sharc2**''
  - Verify the tertiary mirror position and optical path. \\ ''__uip__> **tertiary /nasmyth2**'' ! included in **instrument** \\ ''__uip__> **vane /out**'' ! move the calibration load out of the beam

=== SHARC ===

  - Check the filter wheel indicator on top of the cryostat. 
    * "250" => 350 µm, "500" => 450 µm, "750" => 850 µm
    * For remote observing, this must be done in advance.
  - For Sharp, check the half-wave plate (HWP) controller is on. 
    * It is at the bottom of the sharc electronics stack.
    * Check the HWP angle is set to about 50°. 
      * The angle is displayed in increments of 0.01°.
    * For remote observing, this must be done in advance.
  - [[cso:observing:remoteobs#connect_to_the_vnc_desktop_s|Connect]] to the Sharc desktop.  \\ ''comp% **csovnc.pl -l sharc sharc**''
    * Consult staff for passwords.          
  - Turn on the Sharc electronics.
    * In the kilauea (lower right) xterm on the Sharc desktop, \\ ''kilauea% **sharcpwr on**''
      * At the telescope, you may use the alidade power controller switch (charge -> operate).
      * On the instrument electronics, there two green lights and a yellow light will illuminate.
    * Throw the power switch on the instrument electronics to //ON//.
      * For remote observing, this must be done in advance.
      * On the instrument electronics, two additional red lights will illuminate. 
  - For Sharp, turn on the HWP heater at least 30 min before observing.
    * In the kilauea (lower right) xterm on the Sharc desktop, \\ ''kilauea% **sharphwp on**''  
  - Login to sharcii, if necessary.
    * In the sharcii (lower left) xterm on the Sharc desktop, \\ ''kilauea% **ssh sharc@sharcii**''
  - Configure the amplifier electronics and multiplexer.
    * In the sharcii (lower left) xterm on the Sharc desktop, \\ ''sharcii% **cd ~/fpga** '' \\ ''sharcii% **go**''
    * This resets the instrument gain.
  - Restart the DSP program.
    * If necessary, stop the sharcServer and sharcClient. Normally these are not running.
    * In the sharcii (lower left) xterm on the Sharc desktop, \\ ''sharcii% **cd ~/DSP **'' \\ ''sharcii% **sharcDSP **''
    * Wait a moment, then check the status. \\ ''sharcii% **s2 **'' \\ '' SHARC2> ** status **'' 
      * There should be 3x4 12's and 2 36's, like [[http://www.submm.caltech.edu/~sharc/operating/dsp_monitor_sample.txt|this]] 
    * Check the timestamp (UT) is updating. \\ '' SHARC2> ** status **''  
      * If the timestamp does not update, try ''**status**'' again a few times. 
      * If that doesn't work, quit the status program and run ''**sharcDSP **'' again.
      * If that still doesn't work, try the [[http://www.submm.caltech.edu/~sharc/operating/manual.htm#DSP_reset|DSP help page]] 
    * Quit the status program. \\ '' SHARC2> **quit** ''
  - Start the IRC server.
    * In the sharcii (lower left) xterm on the Sharc desktop, \\ '' sharcii% **cd ~/irc**'' \\ '' sharcii% **sharcServer**''
    * There are many messages. The last message will be \\ '' //hh:mm:ss.sss// EVENT  Started org.mortbay.http.HttpServer@//xxxxxxx//''
  - Start the IRC client.
    * In the kilauea xterm on the Sharc desktop, \\ ''kilauea% ** cd ~/irc** '' \\ ''kilauea% **./sharcClient**''
      * The popup message about the polarimeter being unavailable is normal. Dismiss it.
      * If a popup message warns the DSOS RPC service is unavailable, the DSOS software is not running.
        - Dismiss the popup,
        - Stop both the IRC client and the IRC server,
        - [[cso:telescope:dsos:userproc|Start]] the DSOS software, and 
        - Restart both the IRC server and the IRC client.
    * Arrange the windows sensibly. \\ ''kilauea% **./sharcArrange**'' 
      * For Sharp, use instead \\ ''kilauea% **./sharpArrange**''
    * In the //Sharc Controls// IRC window, fill in the //Observation Options// fields (wavelength, observer, project).
  - In the //Sharc Controls// IRC window, click the //Level Hardware// button.

=== DSOS ===

  * Following the [[cso:telescope:dsos:userproc]] to start the active surface correction (DSOS).
    * Wait until the sun is down and the shutter has been open for 1 hour.
    * Wait for all but a few (1-3) DSOS temperatures to settle before observing.


===== Observing =====

==== SHARC ====

=== Catalogs ===

  - Enter new sources in a source [[cso:telescope:uip:catalog|catalog]].
    * Some standard catalogs are in ''~sharc/.uip/cat/''
    * Edit source catalogs directly. 
    * Uses other sources as an example.
  - For Sharp, load the source catalog \\ ''__uip__> **catalog sharp **''

=== Calibrators ===

Observe calibrators to determine the best pointing and focus offsets and for flux calibration.

  - Pick a calibrator using the ''[[cso:telescope:orrery|orrery]]'' on the UIP desktop.
  - Track a calibrator. For example \\ ''__uip__> **planet uranus** '' //or// \\  ''__uip__> ** observe cal_crl2688 **''
    * For minor planets, etc., or if the ephemeris is out of date, use JPL Horizons ephemeris. \\  ''__uip__> ** planet ganymede /jpl **''
    * Check the [[http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/jupiter|relative positions]] of the Jovian moons. They can be close enough to each other that more than one appears in the field of view.
    * The names of all fixed calibrators start with //cal_//. Display all of them with \\  ''__uip__> ** ver cal_* **''
  - Start a Lissajous sweep. \\ ''__uip__> **sweep 30 20 /Y 20 14.142 /alt ** ''
  - Set the integration time in the //Sharc Controls// IRC window to **120 sec**.
  - Before starting a new exposure, //**always**// click the //Level Hardware// button level in the //Sharc Controls// IRC window. 
    * If a calibrator is really bright (Jupiter, Saturn, or Mars at opposition), offset the telescope before leveling. \\ ''__uip__> **azo 300 ** '' \\ level hardware \\ ''__uip__> **azo 0 ** ''
  - Click the //Start// arrow in the //Sharc Controls// IRC window.
  - Find the best pointing and focus by examining images of point sources.
    * Check the focus every 30-45 min at the start of the night, every couple of hours thereafter.
    * If the image is too "horizontal" (major axis from 2 o'clock to 8 o'clock), use a more negative focus offset.
    * If the image is too "vertical" (major axis from 5 o'clock to 11 o'clock), use a more positive focus offset.
  - Enter the pointing offsets. \\ ''__uip__> **fazo //az_offset// **'' \\  ''__uip__> **fzao //za_offset//**''
  - Enter the focus offset.\\ ''__uip__> **focus /offset //focus_offset// ** '' 

=== Targets ===

Observing target sources is similar to observing calibrators.

  - Track the target. \\ ''__uip__> ** observe //target// **''
  - Start a Lissajous sweep. \\ ''__uip__> **sweep 30 20 /Y 20 14.142 /alt ** ''
  - Set the integration time in the //Sharc Controls// IRC window.
    * This will depend on the program and on the weather.
    * For deep integrations in good weather, 300 sec or 600 sec per exposure is typical. 
  - Before starting a new exposure, //**always**// click the //Level Hardware// button level in the //Sharc Controls// IRC window. 
  - Click the //Start// arrow in the //Sharc Controls// IRC window.

==== Beam switching ====

Beam switching is rarely used with Sharc but is more common for Sharp.

  - Start the secondary chopper.  \\ ''__uip__> **secondary 36.5 1.388888 4 4 ** ''
      * The chopper waveform is displayed in the UIP desktop. 
      * Wait until chopper servo finishes tuning. 
  - Observe with a slow sweep. \\ ''__uip__> ** sweep 30 70 /y 20 50 /alt **''
  - For a calibrator, set the integration time in the //Sharc Controls// IRC window to **120 sec**.
  - Stop the chopper \\ ''__uip__> ** secondary /stop **''


==== SHARP ====

The Sharp [[http://lennon.astro.northwestern.edu/SHARP/observing.pdf|documentation]] outlines procedures and data reduction for Sharp observations.

===== Data Analysis ======

For routine observations, use [[http://www.submm.caltech.edu/~sharc/crush|CRUSH]] for data analysis. There are also some alternate tools for specific tasks. Each exposure is identified by a five digit number, //NNNNN//.

  - [[cso:observing:remoteobs#connect_to_the_vnc_desktop_s|Connect]] to the quicklook desktop  \\ ''comp% **csovnc.pl -l sharc sharc.ql**''
  - In an xterm, 
    * for faint sources, \\ ''kilauea% ** crush sharc2 -deep //NNNN1 NNNN2... // ** ''
    * for medium sources, \\ ''kilauea% ** crush sharc2  //NNNN1 NNNN2... // ** ''   
    * for bright sources, \\ ''kilauea% ** crush sharc2 -bright //NNNN1 NNNN2... // ** '' 
    * and for extended sources, \\ ''kilauea% ** crush sharc2 -extended //NNNN1 NNNN2... // ** '' 
      * The options control the treatment of sky noise. See the [[http://www.submm.caltech.edu/~sharc/crush|CRUSH]] documentation for further information.
    * For pointing observations, \\ ''kilauea% ** crush sharc2 -point -altaz //NNNNN// ** ''
      * This will calculate new pointing offsets.
      * Alternately, \\ ''kilauea% **cd ~sharc ** '' \\ ''kilauea% ** sharcpoint //NNNNN// ** ''  
  - View reduced images with [[http://ds9.si.edu|ds9]]. \\ ''kilauea% **ds9 ~sharc/src/data///imagename//.fits & ** ''
    * The //imagename// is composed of the source name and the scan number, i. e., Mars.//NNNNN//.fits.

To analyse beam switched observations,
  - [[cso:observing:remoteobs#connect_to_the_vnc_desktop_s|Connect]] to the quicklook desktop  \\ ''comp% **csovnc.pl -l sharc sharc.ql**''
  - In an xterm,  \\ ''kilauea% **cd ~sharc ** '' \\ ''kilauea% ** sharcchop //NNNNN// ** ''


===== After observing ===== 

  - Close the shutter, stow the telescope, turn off the DSOS, etc. Following these [[cso:observing:operating#after_observing|instructions]].
    * When remote observing, close the shutter before sunrise.
  - Stop the telescope scanning.
    * In the xterm on the UIP desktop, \\ ''__uip__> **sweep /stop**''
  - Stop the chopper, if necessary.
    * In the xterm on the UIP desktop, \\ ''__uip__> **sec /stop**''
  - Turn off the Sharc electronics. 
    * In the kilauea xterm on the Sharc desktop, \\ ''kilauea% **sharcpwr off**''
     * At the telescope, you may use the alidade power controller switch (operate -> charge).
  - Turn off the Sharp HWP heater.
    * In the kilauea xterm on the Sharc desktop, \\ ''kilauea% **sharphwp off**''
  - Stop the IRC client.
    * On the Sharc desktop, open (deiconify) the //IRC - Instrument Remote Control// window.
    * In the **File** menu, select **Exit**.
  - Stop the IRC server.
    * In the sharcii xterm on the Sharc desktop, \\ ''**exit**''
  - Set up a delayed <sup>3</sup>He fridge [[cryo#cycle|cycle]].
    * Only if good weather is expected.
    * Coordinate with the staff.
    * [[cso:observing:remoteobs#connect_to_the_vnc_desktop_s|Connect]] to view the fridge monitor.  \\ ''comp% **csovnc.pl -l sharc sharc.fridge**''         
      * Consult staff for passwords.          
  - Report any problems to the staff.
  - Idle the telescope.  \\ ''__uip__> **idle** ''
  - Disconnect from the vnc desktops.