Musk Mars Desert Observatory - Location
Latitude: 38° 24.395 N
Longitude: 110° 47.533 W
Altitude: 1379 m

System Specifications:

Celestron CGE-1400: Objective Diameter 355.6 mm Focal Length 3910 mm Focal Ratio f/11 Resolution 0.39" Secondary Obstruction 11.43 mm

SBig ST2000XM Pixel Array 1600 x 1200 pixels 11.8 x 8.9 mm Total Pixels 1.92 million Pixel Size 7.4 x 7.4 microns Full Well Unbinned ~45,000 e- Full Well Binned ~90,000 e- Dark Current 0.35e /pixel/sec at 0° C Antiblooming Standard

SBig STV Deluxe Pixel Array 656x480 pixels Total Pixels 314,880 Pixel Size 7.4 x 7.4 microns

Software Description: The following software is used at the MDRS Observatory. Documentation can be found in the observatory box, on the website, or on the MDRS Observatory CCD. Original software is in the Observatory Box.

Software	Manufacturer	Website	Function
Automadome	Software Bisque	www.bisque.com	Interface between the telescope (via The Sky) and the dome.
CCDOPS	SBIG	www.sbig.com	Camera Control and CCD Processing
CCDSoft	Software Bisque	www.bisque.com	Camera Control and CCD Processing
Orchestrate	Software Bisque	www.bisque.com	Scripting program
Precision Time		www.precision-time.com	Accurate Time Signal
Registax		aberrator.astronomy.net/registax/	Stacks images and processing
Robofocus	Technical Innovations	www.homedome.com	Operates the focus and turns on the cameras and lights via the computer.
STV Deluxe	SBIG	www.sbig.com	Operates the camera via the computer
The Sky	Software Bisque	www.bisque.com	Interface between the telescope and the computer. Virtual sky used for locating objects.
T-Point	Software Bisque	www.bisque.com	Accurate pointing system

Computer Com PortSettings: This is the current com port setup on the observatory computer. There is no com port # 3 and 4. COM Port Computer Program 1 STV Deluxe 2 Automadome 5 Robofocus 6 The Sky

Automadome Settings: These settings have been carefully worked out by Ted Maxwell. If you have problems with Automadome's motion check these settings first and reset them to these parameters if they are different.   Phi 0.67     Rdome 1135   xm 0 ym 52 zm -140 xt 54.5 yt 0     yo 0   ta 0.0436 tb 0.6615

Observatory Box:

The Observatory Box is a tackle box located on top of the CPU in the observatory. The latch does not work well so be careful when opening it up. It contains the following items.

• 2" Elux Celestron 40mm eyepiece
• 1.25" Celestron 40mm Plossl eyepiece
• TeleVue 5x powermate barlow
• f/6.3 focal reducer
• 1.25" IR filter
• 2" diagonal
• Baader adapter 2" to T2
• Tshirt and rubberband (for flat fields)
• Camels hair brush and tissue paper
• Assorted hardware

Using Filters:

Currently the only filters at the Mars Desert Research Station Observatory are those in the color wheel -- R,G,B,Clear and Moon. If you bring other filters they can be used visually or screwed into the 1.25" adapter on the camera you mount on the C14. The table below gives some guidelines for filter use for the planet Mars.

Wratten #	Color	Use
8, 12, 15	Yellow	Brightens desert regions
21, 23A	Orange	Use when Mars is low in the sky- helps with atmospheric dispersion. Increases contrast between light and dark features. Limited detection of dust clouds.
25, 29	Red	Maximum contrast of surface features; detection of dust clouds.
57	Green	Darkens Red and Blue features. Enhances frost patches, surface fogs and polar projections.
64	Blue-green	Helps detect ice fogs and polar hazes.
80A,38, 38A	Blue	Atmospheric clouds, white clouds, polar hoods. Orographic clouds over volcanoes.
46, 47	Dark Blue	Clouds, darkens red features.
30, 32	Magenta	Enhances red and blue features and darkens green ones. Improves polar region features and clouds.

Focus Settings:

These settings are approximations only. The focus will change with the temperature. Change the focus settings using CCDSoft. These settings could change if someone reorients the focus system. If you do this please change the settings in the table accordingly.

Camera	Focus Setting
SBIG ST-2000XM	58330
SBIG ST-2000XM with focal reducer	59900
STV	57660
STV with focal reducer	58700
Visual with two inch 40 mm eyepiece

Manuals and Software:

The following Manuals and Software are located on the shelf on the second floor of the Hab.

Manuals Celestron CGE Series CCDops CCDSoft CFW-8A (filter wheel) Dome Controller Operating Manual- ST-2000 XM Operating Manual STV Robofocus

Software Boca Multiport CCDops CCDSoft Cyberpower Dome Controller Ethernet Sirius Domes Technical Innovations-Robofocus Tpoint The Sky WIN 98 CD and startup disk

Cleaning the Optics:

Occasionally, dust may build up on the corrector plate of the CGE 1400. Special care should be taken when cleaning the telescope so you don't damage the optics. Cleaning should only occur if the build up is rather noticeable and if you feel comfortable in the procedure.

Remove the dust first with a camel's hairbrush (in the observatory box). You can use a can of compressed air but you must spray it at an angle so you don't get any liquid on the optics. Two to four seconds should suffice. Use an optical cleaning solution and white tissue paper (also in the box) to remove any remaining debris. USE LOW PRESSURE STROKES AND GO FROM THE CENTER OUTWARD. DO NOT RUB IN CIRCLES!

If you run out of lens cleaner you can make your own following these recipes:

Isopropyl alcohol 60%
Distilled water 40%

Or

Liquid dish soap - a couple of drops
I quart of water

If the telescope needs internal cleaning it needs to be done by Celestron.

Who to Contact for Help:

Begin with the last Crew Astronomer who used the observatory. They will be aware of any upgrades or changes that were made to the system.

Mars Mission Support:

Peter Detterline
Ted Maxwell
David Allred