Troubleshooting
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Observatory Help Page to contact a faculty member.
Telescope
- The dome is turning and won't stop.
Did you turn AUTO DOME and DOME TRACK on before the focus initialization was
finished?! (tsk, tsk)
- Set the "HALT MOTORS" switch in.
- Turn the power strip off.
- Turn AUTO DOME and DOME TRACK off.
- Turn the power strip to start over, and be more patient this time!
- The telescope won't move.
Check that:
- the "DRIVES/OFF" toggle switch is on "DRIVES" (up)
- the "HALT MOTORS" switch is out
- the target object is not out of range
(see bottom center of display monitor)
- the telescope is not approaching the horizon limit
(see bottom center of display monitor)
- The telescope isn't tracking properly.
Check that:
- the "TRACK/OFF" toggle switch is on "TRACK" (up)
- the "TRACK/AUX TRACK" toggle switch is on "TRACK" (up)
- the track rates are 15.000 for R.A. and 0.000 for DEC. (in the RATES
window on the telescope control monitor)
- the "HALT MOTORS" switch is out
- The telescope isn't pointing properly.
- Check the date and time. Reset if necessary.
(Remember the date and time are UT, not local. Add 5 hours
to EST, add 4 hours to EDT; advance the date if the UT is past midnight.)
- Initialize the telescope position on a bright star.
- General last-ditch procedure:
- Return the telescope to the zenith (if possible).
- Depress the "HALT MOTORS" button.
- Turn off the power strip.
- Count to 10.
- Turn on the power strip and start up as usual.
CCD
Gateway PC
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