Pointing Model Tests

    1. Observe about 10 Globular Clusters covering a broad range in azimuth and zenith distance across the sky. Choose a List (see below) based on the Local Sidereal Time (LST) that you plan on starting this test. The full test should take about 30-45 minutes.

    2. To get good overall coverage in azimuth and zenith distance, once could do this test intermittently throughout the night, picking and choosing clusters from the different Lists according to the LST. (See combined plot of all clusters from all the Lists below.) It is preferred, however, to try to this test in one fell swoop over 30-40min instead of in bits and pieces over the course of the night.

    3. r-band is a reasonable filter to use.

    4. Photometric conditions are not required.

    5. If sky is clear or has only light cirrus, 60-sec exposures should be sufficient.

    6. Do not try to adjust or initialize the TCS pointing for these observations. Just go observe a cluster and then slew to the next.

    • LST=23h00m (List , Plot)

    • LST=00h00m (List , Plot)

    • LST=01h00m (List , Plot)

    • LST=02h00m (List , Plot)

    • LST=03h00m (List , Plot)

    • LST=04h00m (List , Plot)

    • LST=05h00m (List , Plot)

    • LST=06h00m (List , Plot)

    • LST=07h00m (List , Plot)

Column headings for Lists:

    1. Name of Globular Cluster

    2. RA [J2000.0]

    3. DEC [J2000.0]

    4. Hour Angle (HA) in decimal hours [HH.hh]

    5. Hour Angle (HA) in sexagesimal hours [HH:MM:SS.sss]

    6. Airmass

    7. Azimuth in degrees

    8. Zenith Distance in degrees