The intelligent observatory: software for robotic operation, monitoring, and safeguarding

Carel van Gend; Stephen Potter; Nicolas Erasmus; Sunil Chandra; Hannah Worters; Moloko Hlakola; Roufurd Julie

doi:10.1117/12.3018677

25 July 2024 The intelligent observatory: software for robotic operation, monitoring, and safeguarding

Carel van Gend, Stephen Potter, Nicolas Erasmus, Sunil Chandra, Hannah Worters, Moloko Hlakola, Roufurd Julie

Proceedings Volume 13101, Software and Cyberinfrastructure for Astronomy VIII; 131012W (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3018677
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2024, Yokohama, Japan

Conference Poster

Abstract

The Intelligent Observatory (IO) is a project of the South African Astronomical Observatory which aims to improve the efficiency of observing, optimize the use of the observatory’s resources and allow rapid follow-up of targets of interest. We have developed software to enable our telescopes and instruments to be programmatically controlled and have used this to develop remotely operable web interfaces for each of these. We are now focused on enabling robotic operation. To this end we have adopted the Las Cumbres Observatory’s Observatory Control System (OCS). This allows users to submit observing requests, and the OCS scheduler produces a schedule of observations for each telescope. We have developed software to retrieve the latest schedule, configure the telescope and instruments accordingly, and take the required exposures. In full robotic mode, it is important that the telescopes and instruments be operated only when safe to do so. We have developed watchdog software, using the same interfaces, to monitor the weather and shut down telescopes and instruments if the weather turns bad.

(2024) Published by SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Citation Download Citation

Carel van Gend, Stephen Potter, Nicolas Erasmus, Sunil Chandra, Hannah Worters, Moloko Hlakola, and Roufurd Julie "The intelligent observatory: software for robotic operation, monitoring, and safeguarding", Proc. SPIE 13101, Software and Cyberinfrastructure for Astronomy VIII, 131012W (25 July 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3018677

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