RC80 robotic telescope operation: step-by-step instructions
Date: 2021-12-20
Live view of the telescope and sky: https://archive.konkoly.hu/tao/
A plethora of additional info: https://ccdsh.konkoly.hu/wiki/TAO:Main_Page
A. FULL AUTOMATIC OPERATION
1. Preparation:
- login to m51.konkoly.hu with your account (<user> hereafter)
- create working directory:
cd /data/<user>
mkdir rc80
cd rc80
mkdir <YYYYMMDD> (use current date in YYYYMMDD format)
cd <YYYYMMDD>
2. Start a 'screen' session in your terminal
screen -S rc80 (rc80 is optional, use your favourite screen session name)
Always run the telescope within a screen session!
3. Run the scheduler, based on the active target list (available at https://ccdsh.konkoly.hu/supernovae )
TCS80_generate.sh --start now --sequential
The output is a ccdsh control file named rc80_<YYYY-MM-DD>.ccdsh
4. Start ccdsh and run the observing sequence
ccdsh
source rc80_<YYYY_MM_DD>.ccdsh
5. Sit back and enjoy your flight! :)
Data will be collected in /data/<user>/rc80/<YYYYMMDD> and also in the rc80 archive:
https://ccdsh.konkoly.hu/log/rc80
6. Terminate screen when finished:
exit
B. MANUAL OPERATION
1. Start ccdsh and get telescope status:
ccdsh
asa status
If ccdsh complains about not finding the telesopce, try
source /usr/local/ccdsh/scripts/load-asa.ccdsh
If still sucks, email/call apal@szofi.net :)
2. Open the mirror covers:
asa cover upper open (ALWAYS start with the upper cover!)
asa status
... wait until the upper cover is opened
asa cover lower open
asa status
... wait until the lower cover is opened
3. Open the dome:
set dome slit open
4. Switch off IR light on the webcam
set dome light 2 off
5. Set field derotator to automatic
asa rotator auto
6. Set dome rotation to automatic
set dome auto on
7. Start observing either using the scheduler (see above) or your own ccdsh script.
Don't forget to make bias and dark frames!
If heavy clouds come by, Ctrl-c the observing session and close the telescope (see below).
If anything fails or gets frozen during the observation, try to collect and save the output of 'asa status'.
After that, exit or kill ccdsh, then start it up again.
If you get back the control over the telescope, then you may start feeling lucky.
If not, write/call apal@szofi.net.
8. Park the telescope, close up and shutdown:
set dome light 2 on
asa slew taudec 0,10
asa cover lower close (ALWAYS close the lower cover first!)
asa cover upper close
set dome slit close
set dome auto off
9. Exit ccdsh (to be kind to other observers)
exit