Startup/Shutdown
Procedures for the Paramount/C-14/AP-7
Las Campanas, Chile

Turn on devices

First you must access the remote on/off switch turn on the telescope, the roof controller, and the focuser and turn off the IR camera. The CCD camera and live video camera piggy backed on the scope are also connected to the telescope outlet so they come on as well when the telescope is turned on. The IP address for the remote on/off power unit can be obtained by remote telescope operators only Contact TIE directly. in the roll-off building in Las Campanas

IP: XXX.XX.XX.XX

Username:XXXXX
Password:XXXXX

Contact TIE directly to acquire any usernames and passwords or IP addresses for the system.

The following web page will appear when you choose the button “Outlets” on the left frame of the first page. Following are the normal operating settings when the telescope is being used. The infrared camera must always be off when the roof is open and it is dark. You do not want IR bleeding out the building because most astronomical cameras are very sensitive in the IR and this may interfere with other telescopes near by.

Normal operating settings for all outlet

Launch applications

Use PCAnywhere or equivalent to access the server "TIEONE".  The IP address of the TIEONE server is available to remote telescope operators by request. CONTACT TIE here.

Note:  When the server "TIEONE" is booted the IAServer program  is launched automatically upon starting Windows. Each application is already pre-selected in IAServer so you only need to press the button “Start Applications” as shown below. TheSky, CCDSoft, and Automadome will all be launched automatically. If for some reason the IAServer program is not already up and running and the following dialog is not visible you must manually launch IAServer. There is an Icon on the desktop for this or use Start | Internet Astronomy Software | IAServer.

IAServer Application

Choose Start Applications

TheSky, CCDSoft and Automadome will be started. Note the verification on the bottom of the IAServer dialog.

Check Wind Speed - A must!

YOU MUST check the weather first before opening the building!

Use the following link to access the weather station connected to server number 2. The Current Weather link has the data you will need regarding wind speed.

http://sitetest1.lco.cl/site/weather.php?device=121

From the above site check Wind Speed before opening roof!

Wind Speed must be less than 30 mph

DO NOT open the roll-off roof if the wind speed is 30 mph or greater!  Note also that the web page will not update automatically!  You must refresh the page using your web browser’s "refresh" option frequently to get updated weather information. A more detailed weather information for Las Campanas can be found at the following,

http://troon.lco.cl/~mmp/meteo/magellan_latest_weather.php

The above weather page WILL update automatically every couple of minutes. The above link is the Magellan Telescopes weather page. It has extensive weather information available for the site.

Open Roll-off Roof

After you have verified that the wind speed is less than 30 mph you can safely open the roof.  

Link to the roof

Dome | Link | Establish

In Automadome after connecting to the roof  use the option Dome | Open Slit. Automadome continuously monitors the roof status. When you receive confirmation that the “Open is complete” with an error equal to zero it is a fair assumption that the roof has been successfully opened. A fair assumption, but not 100% fool proof. It is easy to know when the roof has not been opened. Either check the live video camera on the back of the telescope or simply take a CCD image after slewing away from the building. If the roof does not appear to be opened YOU MUST first terminate the link to the dome (Dome | Link Terminate) then re-establish the link (in Automadome choose Dome | Link Establish) again then Dome | Open the Slit. I have always been able to get it to open and or close by terminating the link and re-establishing when there is a problem!

Open the roof

Dome Open Slit

If you are opening the roof during daylight hours make certain the telescope is the safe parked position first!  Wait until you see the message Open Complete indicating the roof is now successfully open!  See details below under the Live Video link.

Open Complete

No errors, building open

Roof Open using live video

View in twilight

The telescope is now ready to go to work!  There is no need to communicate with the dome at this point so terminate the link. Use Dome | Terminate Link.

Connect to telescope

In TheSky use Telescope | Link Establish to connect to the Paramount GT-1100S.

Connecting to the scope

Telescope | Link Establish

The telescope mount will then automatically search for the home position. This procedure will take several moments, please be patient.

Status of homing

Home in progress

Homing position indicated

Telescope cannot see stars yet!

YOU MUST first slew the telescope to an object before trying to focus!

Slew to any object placed high in altitude and close to the meridian before attempting to focus. The seeing is always best there and this will get you an optimum focus in the least amount of time. Any object will work. By using a bright star you can take a very fast exposure and by cropping around it you can get @Focus to achieve a perfect focus quickly, in about 2 minutes. See below.

Error connecting to telescope

If the following error message appears in TheSky when attempting to to link to the telescope make sure that the telescope has been powered on using the remote on/off unit as per the above instructions "Turn on devices". That is Outlet #3 Telescope to On and Apply.

Telescope not found

Telescope is not turned on!

Connect to CCD Camera

In CCDSoft use Camera | Setup and press the "Temperature" button. The camera is automatically connected when you attempt to set the temperature. When connected you will see the Temperature dialog shown.

Connecting CCDSoft to the Apogee CCD camera

Set default temperature to -30 degrees C.

Error connecting to CCD camera

@Focus CCD Camera

Choose the Focus Tools Tab

Use a 0.5 to 1.0 second exposure 1X1

Crop star for @Focus

Use Default values for @Focus

The process can take several minutes. You will be notified when @Focus is successful. Note: ALWAYS take a full frame non binned exposure first to verify good focus and guarantee you are out of the bin mode. You will know when the system is in perfect focus. See below image.

Double Check Focus!

Before turning system over
for remote use.

At this point the system is completely ready to be turned over to the remote user.

Live Video

Use the live video feedback as a tool!  The wide field piggy back camera can easily show you clouds if they exist. It yields a 20 degree field of view easily showing the brighter stars and planets. You can use the Las Campanas camera to see exactly when the sky is getting dark as well.

The following web page accesses the 4 live video cameras. These cameras are the only way to fully close the loop as far as telescope position and status of the roof. It is best to visually inspect the building with the IR camera after you have parked the scope and closed the roof. Parking the scope is not critical because the roof will never hit it in any position. However, it is not safe to open the building with the telescope in any position but the safe park position during the day!

Remote Telescope Operators should Contact TIE directly to obtain the IP address for the live video cameras.

Username:XXXXX
Password:XXXXX

Note the safe park position of the scope is shown here.

Telescope view using IR camera

Tele. Star View is the wide field camera

Wide field meteor lens and .0003 lux camera with 20 degree field. Use it for checking for clouds or other obstructions.

 Piggy Back Camera

Scorpius displayed in real-time

Parking the telescope

In TheSky choose the option Telescope | Options | Park the telescope.

Park the telescope first

Telescope | Options | Park

The telescope cross hair will disappear when the mount has been parked.

Turn off the camera cooling

In CCDSoft use the Camera | Setup Temperature button to turn off the cooling prior to shutting down the system. Set the Temperature Regulation to Off. At this point CCDSoft can be exited safely.

Turn off 

CCD cooling

Close the building

To close the roof  using Automadome choose Dome | Close Slit.  You will see the following "Close Complete" message with no errors Error = 0 (0) when the roof has closed. However, do not assume the roof has been actually closed without visual verification!  If you see any other error other than "0" assume that the roof is still open and try again. If all else fails see the section Re-boot the roof controller.

Closing the roof

Successful!

Remember that the above is not 100% fool proof!  It is important to double check the roof by using the IR camera to view the telescope. If you see any error message other than "0" No error you must assume that the roof is not closed!

Roof did not close

• Park the telescope
• Terminate the link to the roof controller (dome)
• Re-establish the link
• Try to close the roof again

If the above fails and you are certain the roof is still open there is only one other possibility. You must try recycling the power to the dome controller. See the following for details Re-boot Dome Controller.

Video check roof status

Use the video web page and access the IR camera to inspect the roof position. The IR camera sees in total darkness. YOU MUST turn on the IR camera using the power on/off unit first as mentioned above. The IR camera cannot be used when the roof is open during darkness. It makes no difference in the daytime.

From the Power Unit Outlet's Page turn on option 4 "Infrared Camera"

Select Immediate On and Apply

Do not turn the IR camera on until you have closed the building. Unfortunately, you will not know for certain whether or not the roof is closed until you have done so!

Contact TIE directly to obtain the IP address for the video cameras.

Use the IR camera in the list

Press Start Control

When the building is in fact closed you can safely exit all applications then turn off the telescope, dome controller, and focuser.

Exit all applications

Use IAServer to close TheSky, CCDSoft, and Automadome. Simply press Exit Applications on the IAServer dialog.

Exit Applications

Note verifications

Turn off devices

From the on/off switch power unit outlet's page turn off the telescope, roof controller, and focuser.

Proper handling procedure

If the operator and/or end user experience a complete loss of the Internet connection there is very little that can be done. However, it is important to alert the proper individuals as soon as possible so they can remedy the situation. The contact information in order of who to contact first follows.

In the case of a complete loss of the internet connection the remote operator cannot follow the normal shut down procedure. That means that the telescope cannot be parked and also that the roof cannot be closed!  The worst case scenario would be the telescope is left in a position where the Sun could shine down the tube and burn up both the telescope optics and the Apogee CCD camera. This of course would be very costly.

For the above worst case scenario the scope should never be used in the daytime when the roll-off roof is open for the same reason UNLESS the telescope is in the safe Parked position as per the above.

Contact information

Following are the person(s) you will need to contact when the Internet connection is lost. If you cannot contact any of the following via the phone numbers supplied you can also email them at their respective email addresses below.
 

Mark the email URGENT.

Re-boot roof controller procedure

If it appears that the dome controller has not successfully closed the roof either because there is an error message associated with the closing procedure. That is the Close Complete error is not equal to "0" but something else like "Close complete. Error -2137220292 (800404bc)" or visual inspection with video clearly shows the roof is not closed, you should do the following,

• Park the telescope
• Terminate the link to the roof controller (dome)
• Re-establish the link
• Try to close the roof again

DOME-Roof FAILS TO CLOSE

If the roof fails to close, parking the scope is extremely important! By parking the telescope in the safe park position you have protected it from being damaged by the Sun which could shine directly down the tube frying the CCD camera and optics!!!@@! Parking the scope of course will have little effect on protecting the telescope and camera equipment against rain, snow, or extremely high winds so getting the roof closed is imperative! The inability to close the roof is still the worst case scenario that does not currently have any contingency other than the following.

At the point where you cannot see the roof closed or you do not see the successful close message "Close Complete. Error = 0 (0)" you have no other alternative outside of recycling the power on the roof controller. TERMINATE the link to the dome first. Note that re-booting the roof controller is similar to re-booting the computer itself when necessary. However, re-booting the computer (the PC) will have no effect on the dome controller and need not be done!

You must access the remote power unit and turn off, then back on on the item #7 "Roof Controller". A delayed Re-boot from the Power unit should accomplish the same thing. After you have recycled the power on the roof controller use Automadome again to establish the link to the dome controller and use the option to "Close the Slit".