Night Report Page - 20120809

Observers : S. Smartt, C. Inserra (QUB) Flora Cellier-Holzem (LPHNE) 

Data analysts on duty : M. Fraser, D. Wright, A. Pastorello

Time shared with Benetti Large Program (BLP) over the first four nights rather than the breakdown of firewalled nights - this was due to RA pressue ranges of targets and having to work around the weather. Data reduced, as much as possible with the PESSTO pipeline

Total time spent BLP on 20120809 : 1.5 

Total time overall in Aug 2012 : 9hr (out of total of about 24hr clear) 

All times CST and approximate 18.00 - 20.00 Thick, patchy clouds. Skies look poor.  20.00  Opened, surprisingly !        seeing 1.6" 20.30  2012dh (type II-P follow-up) Gr11+16, UBVRi, good spectra, but seeing 2" in images (BLP program)        Standard EG274 with 1.5" slit, Gr11,13,16 and Gr13 with OG530        seeing variable (1.4") 

21.50  Started LSQ targets, but seeing variable, patchy cloud and wind (wind restriction - can't point north) (PESSTO time) 

      LSQ12dww   stellar variable, chance coincidence with galaxy. Not unexpected on relfection. Took a chance on a rise         seeing still poor 2"        Morgan/Andrea picked LSQ12ehh from the unfiltered LSQ list to try to turn round quicker.  LSQ12ege "discovered" yesterday and was         in the good list already

      Target     type phase             z        LSQ12dww    stellar variable         LSQ12ehh   Ia   -6d               0.10   match with 04eo        LSQ12ege   Ia   between -7 to -1  0.08   various matches, -4 +/- 3 is plausible.

      Encouraging - when we get a period of good weather for LSQ preceding a PESSTO run then we will be able to select pre-max targets.        I think our problem up to know has been compounded by poor weather affecting nights preceding PESSTO. 

23.00  SN2012dy (energetic IIb) - PESSTO follow-up target Gr13 + UBVRi         Scattered clouds, seeing 1.8"

23.30  aborted LSQ target due to clouds 

      LSQ12ehj observed from the unfiltered LSQ list : strong Balmer lines in emission (FWHM 4000 km/s), clearly visible spiral host,         transient is circmnuclear. Spectrum fit and spatial location favour AGN acitvity (probable detection of [OIII] ) SN IIn is not           impossible. Better SNID matches to AGN with [OIII] narrower than Balmer lines.    

00.00  Winds > 15 km/s. Restricted to southern targets again, but we've done most of them in EFOSC.         Switch to SOFI to do two follow-up southern targets (2012ca and 2012dy)        SN2012ca JHK_s, Blue grism (PESSTO) ; telluric and flux  (PESSTO)   03.50  Winds eased, back to EFOSC2         But seeing horrible at ~ 2.5"        LSQ12dlf - blue transient from 1st night. Has now evolved with broad lines, clearly luminous type I at z~0.3        Gr11+16 + UBVRi   05.15  LSQ12dvj - some galaxy contamination, but reasonable SN signal.         Possible Ic around peak. Reasonable match to 2004aw at +2d, z=0.141 (or 92ar at +3). The Ia fits aren't great, but worth         careful check before submission (PESSTO)                          05.50  SNHunt121 (PESSTO follow-up) R-band only 7x180s

06.30 finish