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Using the LCOGT GUI
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 machines in the controller, called PubSub, transfers a webbased GUI populated with parameters and controls for the controller and telescope. 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.