This section provides information that is used in routine setup, operation and data reduction with Clio.

Beginning of the Run Checklist

Camera Operation

1. Choice of array / subarray size:

Format	Array Size	Minimum Integr. (and readout time)	Max Coadds
Full array	(1024x512)	280 ms	20
Strip	(1024x300)	164 ms	40
Stamp	(400x200)	43 ms	100
Substamp	(100x50)	3 ms	??

2. Software / GUI Descriptions

This is the main GUI for setting the observation parameters. To set up an imaging sequence, select an integration time (must be greater than the minimum time for the selected read-out format), number of coadds, number of images per nod, and number of nod cycles. After entering values in the boxes, press <RETURN>.

Integration time per nod [ms] = Integration [ms] * Coadds * Images per Nod

No changes may be made to any of the values in this GUI while data taking is in progress. To make changes, you must first press the "Stop" button and wait for the current image to complete.

• Reset: resets Clio2 electronics
• Init: [done automatically at startup] Allows GUI to interact with the instrument

• Format: Choose read-out format for detector (Full, strip, stamp, substamp)

• Take Back.: Saves a sky image with current values of integration time and coadds

There are two way of taking continuous unsaved images (useful for acquiring/centering target and setting integration times)

• Video: Uses current values (integration and coadds) and takes continuous unsaved images
• Quick Video: sets integration to minimum for the read-out format and coadds to 1, then takes continuous unsaved images. Stop button will return time parameters to previous values.

Check Boxes:

• Use Back: In Video and Imaging mode, subtract the saved sky image before displaying
• Save Data in Cubes: save every coadd in naxis3 of a single output FITS file instead of saving each coadd in its own FITS file
• Take Cal. Frame: after every nod, save an image (called Prefix_calxxxxxx.fit) with the minimum integration time and current value of coadds (useful for getting unsaturated images of a target once every nod)
• Tel. info in header: THIS SHOULD ALWAYS BE CHECKED WHEN CLIO IS AT THE TELESCOPE. It puts the TCS information (e.g. RA, DEC) in the Clio FITS headers

• Set Directory: choses output directory for image FITS files [note that this is done automatically for you when you start Clio, setting the directory to the current UT date, with the prefix "n"].
• Set Prefix: sets the file name prefix; names will be of the form Prefixnnnnn.fit and will be numbered sequentially starting with 1 for every unique Prefix, and the ns are 0s (ie, StarName00001.fit is the first file saved).
• Next Image Number: used for setting the next image number by hand instead of letting the Clio2 software use the next sequential number

The current values of the nod distance are shown and may be set in the boxes:

• xnod (arsec)
• ynod (arsec)

1. left/right or up/down: enter the distance (in arcsec) into the box and press the appropriate button. The button indicates the way the target moves, not the way the telescope moves.
2. AutoStar: Waits for two mouse clicks in the ds9 display. The first mouse click is on the current position of the target (and displays a green circle) and the second mouse click is on the desired location of the target (and displays a blue circle). The GUI calculates the offset and presents it to the user. Then the green "Move" button will execute the offset. NOTE: +x is right on the detector and +y is up on the detector (not the same as the Nod vector convention)
3. Go to focus button: sets focus to the entered value

This is the GUI for selecting the camera plate scale, filter, and pupil mask. The boxes turn yellow while the wheels are turning and become green when done moving. The status bar at the bottom of the GUI is also yellow when things are moving. It's fine to move multiple wheels at once, though once you click on "Move motors", all other buttons become disabled until the movements are done.

1. Select a camera: Hit the "Align Wide Camera" or "Align Narrow Camera" button. This will get you very close to being aligned, but extra tweeking may be necessary. See Section Observation Guidelines for instructions on how to complete the alignment.

• The align button will automatically choose the camera (pupil plane) and corresponding Scale. After all the wheels move, you will be left in pupil imaging mode.
• When you are done aligning, to return to regular imaging, click "Next CW" on wheel 5 (Camera Lens) until you reach your desired camera (f/37.7 for narrow or f/21.5 for wide). NOTE: Do not select the "Scale" from the button menu because that will ruin your alignment.
• When you click "Align ...", a window will pop up that will ask you if you're sure you want to Align.
• If you change the camera by hand in the "Pupil Plane" menu, the wheel will not move until you press "Move motors". You also then need to align by hand (see "Observation Guidelines").

2. To change filters, choose the "wavelength" button and select the desired filter. Then press "Move motors." Note: If the "Auto Focus" button is checked, this should move to the correct focus as well (but sometimes it will not if AO is not accepting bayside commands). Check the focus!

3. Focus button: Sets the focus to the correct value for the current filter

Typed into the Terminal connected to clio1.lco.cl; this will shutdown all of the Clio GUIs. Type runclio to start them all again.

Prism and Slits

Optics

Pixel Scale and Orientation

Sensitivity

Contrast

Non-linearity/Saturation: Pixels above 27000 DN are non-linear and must be corrected. Conservatively, pixels above ~45000 should be considered saturated because they can not be corrected to high precision.

Software (advanced users only)

L' and M' photometric standards:

Preparing Clio for Observing (3-5 days before run)

Engineering Logs

Reference

Instrument Design Paper

Instrument Performance Paper

High Contrast Performance

Constraints on a companions to Vega

First Coronagraphic Phase Plate on-sky results

Deep Constraints to Companions of eps Eri and Vega

Constraints to inner companions for Fomalhaut

Discovery of Faint Alcor companion

Observational Results from 50 star FGK type survey

Constraints on planets from 50 star survey

L' and 3.3 um imaging of HR 8799

imaging of GJ 758

Reanalysis of HR 8799 observations

Constraints to planets around 14 Her

Constraints to companions of Sirius

Modifications to this manual:

4/10/2013 - A. J. Weinberger