T-1 day: Mt. John preparations

[posted for Stephen Levine]

I had a chance this morning to walk along the south side of Lake
Tekapo.  The weather was clear and windy (as it would be for most of
the day).  In the afternoon, I drove up with Rob, and we got POETS
sorted out and ready for Jay and Bryce to install.  Then I went over
to the OC61 and setup the near IR camera.  The day was windy, with
average wind speeds over 60kph and gusts up to over 100kph.  The wind
did not abate much after sunset, and later clouds moved through as
well.

While walking along the south shore of Lake

Tekapo, I saw this group of gulls sitting on a rock in Lake Tekapo.

Mt John is behind them, and the observatory buildings are visible on

the ridge line.

Looking west from the OC61 dome a bit

after sunset.  This was one of the few pictures not blurred out.  To

get this, I was facing into the wind, which was about 60 to 70 kph.

Readout from the Mt. John weather station.  For

much of the late afternoon and evening, 

the wind was variable out of

the west, between about 60 and 80 kph, 

and peaking over 100 kph.

An enticing sign at the start of the trail

from Lake Tekapo to the summit of Mt. John.

Sign at the start of the trail from Lake Tekapo to Mt. John.

The 61cm Optical Craftsman telescope.  The near IR

camera that Henry Roe lent us is the blue box mounted at the back end

of the telescope.