DO NOT USE THIS PROCEDURE
The LCOGT controller software is accessed over the network and displayed in a browser. Currently this is permitted only within the Schulman internal network. When the proper address is connected, one of two computers in the controller, called PubSub, transfers a web-based GUI populated with parameters and controls. PubSub means Publish/Submit. The populated parameters and states are published through the browser and the user submits commands through the browser accordingly.
In order to access the LCOGT GUI it is assumed the system is up and running (and PubSub has been properly initialized with running agents).
Open the
Chrome Browser and click the quick link labeled PubSub (leftmost icon). You will be presented with the screen below:
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The log on name is unimportant. However default is required for the Config File field.
Press the “OK” button to continue.
If you do not see this screen, it may be necessary to make certain PubSub is setup correctly via VNC directly.
Wait for PubSub to send all of the data to the browser. If this is the first time the browser has connected to PubSub this can take 2-4 minutes. If much of the
GUI is in cache, it will take 1 minute or less. If you simply have a blank/white screen → checking PubSub directly through VNC may be necessary to make certain it is setup correctly.
Once the
GUI comes up you will be presented with the Site heads up information. Note the small tab is labeled “tus.” This stands for “Tucson.” None of the capabilities on this screen are currently in use.
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Click on the tab beneath “tus” to expose the information under the “doma” tab. The LCOGT software can be used to control multiple telescopes at a site. Our single site has a single telescope in the “A” dome which is roughly “doma.” Again this functionality is not being used.
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Finally click on the “0m8a” tab to expose the controls for the Schulman Telescope. This tab roughly translates to 0.8m a (or first 0.8m telescope).
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Take note of the color of the fields in the column on the left in the above image. They should all be green when the telescope is ready to be used. The “astrometric kernal” can be “yellow” when the drives are not tracking. If the telescope is tracking, this will also be green. If you come to this tab/screen quickly after rebooting PubSub, you may see fields such as “Mount State” indicate “initializing.” This is OK provided that the agent does eventually initialize the drives and the field goes to green after a minute or two.
The most important tabs are Source, Axes, and Tracking. Only the Source tab will be illustrated here as it is where controls for moving the telescope are found.
The top center of the Source tab has a section labeled “Source Selection.” This is the section for the telescope movement controls.
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Under the “Coordinate System” select “Apparent HA.” This is typically the engineering method for moving the telescope to particular positions. “Alt_AZ” (Altitude, Azimuth) is another. Please read the section on Astronomical Coordinates Review for more information on the range of values for this coordinate systems.
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Now input an Hour Angle and Declination that corresponds to the desired position. Shown below is the input for
Zenith. Press the “GO” button that is below the coordinate systems to move the telescope.
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Once the telescope reaches the desired position it will be tracking at the sidereal rate. Note that “Astrometric Kernal State” is green and reads “Tracking.” In addition the “Tracking Tolerance” field reads “In Tolerance.”
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In order to keep the telescope at a particular position the Tracking must be stopped. Press the “Stop Tracking Loop” in the “Tracking Section” to the right of the coordinate systems. Once pressed the state of the system will be as the below:
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The “Astrometric Kernal” reads “Stopped” and the “Tracking Tolerance” field reads “Out of Tolerance.”