Appendix B
2.4-meter Telescope Shutdown Checklist

If lightning or severe storms threaten, please follow the Lightning Shutdown Procedure after stowing the telescope.

Telescope

• Stow the telescope at the zenith:
  • On the xtcs Object line, enter into the R.A. field the current sidereal time plus 1 minute or so, enter Dec +31 57' 12", and enter current value of the Epoch in decimal years.
  • Click on Send & Go
  • When sidereal time = R.A., turn the TRACK off but leave the DRIVES on.

Telescope Control System

• Set the toggle switches on the TELESCOPE CONTROLLER as follows:

     TRACK          - DOWN (off)
     DRIVES         - DOWN (off)
     DOME HOME/FREE - DOWN (home)
     AUTO GUIDER    - DOWN (off)
     MIRROR COVERS  - DOWN (closed: and don't move the instrument rotator when closed)
     AUTO DOME      - UP   (on: leave on until dome has reached the home position and shutter/drop out are closed)
  

• Press the TELESCOPE CONTROLLER STOP button; power goes off at the TELESCOPE CONTROLLER.
• Turn off the TCS MONITOR on top of the TELESCOPE CONTROLLER, or lower its brightness.

MIS and Guider PC (Slit Viewer PC if used)

• Are all the spectral lamps / flat field lamps turned off?
• Turn off the following units located in the observing room:
  
  • Guider PC Monitor (the Guider PC itself should always be left on).
  •  Slit View monitor , Slit Vierer PC (if used) should be left on.

Dome

• Check that the mirror covers are fully closed.
• Close the MIS dark hatch.
• Check that the dome is at the home position. If the contactor box is mis-aligned:
  • Put the DOME CONTROLLER (bottom left rack in comupter room) to manual by pressing the illuminated yellow AUTO button off (out position).
  • Rotate the dome manually from the dome control panel.
• Close the drop-out shutter first, and then the main shutter.
  • If they won't close or are intermittent, the contactor box is not exactly aligned.
• Close the "garage door" completely.
• Close all the dome louvers.

Computers and Instrumentation

• Fill instrument dewar with LN2 if required.
• Leave all computers and x-windows running.
• When did you last back-up your data ?
• Re-check that you turned off the LN₂ storage dewar after filling the instrument!

Primary Mirror Air Conditioning System

• Check temperature trends and match between mirror and ambient over last two nights.
• Change desired primary mirror set temperature if desired for next night.

Reports and Requests

• If you had problems fill out a Trouble Report even if you fixed the problem.
• If you need any service to the instrumentation or filters for the following night, write your request on the erase board on the door to the dome as well as in the Nightly Observer's Report.
• Fill out the Nightly Observer's Report even if you didn't observe.

Conserve Energy!

• Turn off all the lights. This a) saves money and b) keeps down the potential load on the generator, which may fail to start automtically when too heavily loaded.