Telescope control manual | Observatorios de Canarias

The telescope is controlled by a PC running under a MS DOS environment. This computer has two monitors showing an informative panel and the telescope control interface (see figures 1 and 2 for the IAC80 and TCS telescopes, respectively). The observer does not need to initialize this software but instead it is done by the night assistant.

Figure 1: IAC80 telescope control room.

Figure 2: TCS telescope control room.

CATALOGUES

Catalogues cannot be loaded from any external device but instead the users have to create their catalogues entering the coordinates of the targets using the telescope control PC keyboard. Catalogues can be saved and edited as many times as desired.

2.1. Creating a catalogue

Select the option Catálogo (catalogue) and Objetos (objects) in the PC menu.

Go to the menu by pressing Alt A and then select Archivo (file) and Nuevo (new)

Figure 3: Telescope control interface: catalogue menu.

A new catalogue is then created. Go to menu with Alt A and select Editar (edit), Introducir (input) and Teclado (keyboard). A panel appears where the user can write the name and coordinates of his/her targets (see figure 3). Optionally, the user can enter the proper motion ( Ar and Mp. Dec for right ascension and declination. respectively), parallax (Paralaje), radial velocity (Vel. Radial) and tracking velocities in RA and DEC (Vel. SegAr and Vel. SegDec).

Save the input by pressing Ctrl + Fin in the keyboard. These steps can be repeated as many times as desired to enter all the inputs of the catalogue.

The observer can change the catalogue name with the option Guardar como (save as) in the Archivo (file) menu. Catalogues should be saved in binary mode (Archivo Binario) with the .usu extension.

Press Esc to exit the catalogue menu.

2.2. Opening a catalogue

Select the option Catálogo (catalogue) and Objetos (objects) in the PC menu.

Figure 4: Telescope control interface: open catalogue menu.

Go to the menu by pressing Alt A and select Abrir (open) in the Archivo (file) menu and then Archivo Binario (binary file).

A black window appears where the observer can write the name of the desired catalogue (see figure 4). Otherwise, she/he can access the file browser using the Tab key and navigate using the arrow keys and select the catalogue by pressing Enter.

The targets in the catalogue should be sorted by right ascension (see figure 5). If not, this can be done by selecting Ordenar (sort), Cambiar Clave (change key) and Recta (right ascension) in the menu (remember to go to the menu with the Alt key). Note that only the targets marked in bold face will be read by the telescope control system. To mark and unmark an object press Enter on the corresponding raw.

Press Esc to exit the catalogue menu.

Figure 5: Example of catalogue. Only targets marked in bold face will be read by the telescope control system.

2.3. Editing a catalogue

Open a catalogue as explained in section 2.2.

To add a new target in the catalogue go to menu with Alt A and select Editar (edit), Introducir (input), Teclado (keyboard) and write the name and coordinates of the targets.

To modify a record, move to the target using the arrow keys and then go to the menu with Alt A and select Editar (edit), Modificar (modify), Teclado (keyboard) and correct the desired parameter.

Press Esc to exit the catalogue menu.

THE TELESCOPE

3.1. Pointing to a target of the user catalogue

To point the IAC80 and the TCS telescopes, users have first to create a catalogue with their targets of interest as explained in section 2. Then, select the Apuntar <Usuario> (point <user>) option in the Telescopio (telescope) menu, select the target and press Enter (see figure 6).

Figure 6: Pointing to a target of the user catalogue.

While the telescope is moving the status panel in the information panel shows Apuntando (pointing) and the values of RA and DEC left to reach the target position (see figure 7, red square, left). Once the telescope has pointed, the panel will show Seguimiento (tracking) in the status panel (see figure 7, red square, right).

NOTE: sometimes the telescope cannot reach the demanded position but instead blinks between to points around the final coordinates. In this case, select the option Seguimiento (tracking) in the Telescopio menu.

Figure 7: Pointing to a target of the user catalogue.

Two important fields to check are Masa de Aire (air mass) and T. al límite (time to the limit – figure 7, green square) showing the time remaining until the telescope reaches the limit. The last field will be highlighted when the telescope is less than 10 min close to the limit (see figure 8). The coordinates, hour angle, azimuth and zenith distance of the target will be displayed in the blue window above these parameters.

Figure 8: Display at less than 10 min to the limit.

3.2. Pointing to a target of the system catalogue

The user can point directly to any star in the Fundamental Star catalogue (FK) with the option Apuntar <Catálogo> (point <catalogue>) option in the Telescopio (telescope) menu. The system will ask for the identification of the star in the catalogue. A paper version of the FK catalogue is available in the control room (see figure 9). The Bright Star, Sao and Hipparcos catalogues are also available in the PC and also as paper copies.

Figure 9: Pointing to a target of the Fundamental Star Catalogue (FK). A copy of this catalogue is available in the control room.

3.3. Parking the telescope

The option Aparcar (park) in the Telescopio menu has some pre-defined positions where to park the telescope. The more useful are Zenit (zenith) and flats, optimized to take dome flats (see figure 10). This last position, however, is not available in the TCS where dome flats are usually taken with the telescope parked in the zenith.

Figura 10: Parking positions.

3.4. Offsetting the telescope

Small offsets can be applied to the telescope by using the hand paddle (see figure 11). By default, the hand paddle buttons have the following functions: F1: performs offsets of 1’’; F2: offsets of 10’’; F3: offsets of 1’ ; F4 and F5 perform continuous motion (F5 faster than F4). The parameter Raqueta (hand paddle) should be ON (see figure 7).

Figure 11: hand paddle used to perform small offsets.

3.5. Stopping the telescope

To stop the telescope select the option Parar el telescopio (stop the telescope) in the Telescopio menu.

3.6. Focussing the telescope

The observer can change the telescope focus selecting the option Foco (focus) and Posicionar (positioning) in the Telescopio menu (see figure 12). Typical focus values are 20000 units for CAMELOT and 21800 for TCP. For focusing, try steps of 25 or 50 units.

Figure 12: Task foco in the Telescopio menu.

THE DOME

Although the night assistants are in charge of starting up and closing down the telescope all the nights of the run, the user should know how to close (and open) the dome in case of, for example, sudden bad weather.

4.1. Opening the dome

Check that the mirror covers are closed before opening the dome. If they are not, go the Mecanismos (mechanisms) menu and select the options Pétalos (mirror covers) and Cerrar (close) in the IAC80 telescope control PC (see figure 13 top). In the TCS telescope, however, the mirror cover should be closed by hand into the dome.

Go to the Mecanismos (mechanisms) menu and select the option Ventana (upper hatch) and Totalmente Abierta (totally opened – see figure 13 bottom left).

The lower hatch is coupled to the upper hatch so wait some seconds before opening it. Then, go again to the Mecanismos menu, select the option Compuerta (lower hatch) and Abrirla (open it – see figure 13 bottom right).

Figura 13: Mecanismos tasks: mirror covers and upper and lower hatches.

4.2. Closing the dome

Check that the mirror covers are closed before closing the dome. If they are not, proceed as has been explained in section 4.1.

Go to the Mecanismos menu, select the option Compuerta (lower hatch) and Cerrarla (close it).

Again in the Mecanismos (mechanisms) menu select the option Ventana (upper hatch) and Totalmente Cerrada (totally closed).

4.3. Moving the dome

The dome window can be placed at any position using the options Cúpula (dome) and Posicionar (place) and then selecting the azimuth angle. The dome window is oriented to the North if the azimuth angle is 0º and to the East when this angle is 90º (see figure 14 left).

4.4. Putting the dome in automatic mode

Remember to put the dome in automatic mode just after start working. Otherwise, the dome window will not follow the movement of the telescope. To do so, go to the Mecanismos menu and select the options Cúpula (dome) and Automática (automatic – see figure 14 right).

Figure 14: Cupula menu: moving and putting the dome in automatic mode.

THE INFORMATION PANEL

5.1. Informative mode

The information panel, shown in figure 15, displays the following fields:

Tiempo (time):

TU (universal time)
TS (sidereal time)
Fecha (date)
Época (epoch)
Día Jul (Julian date)

Sistema de Control (control system)

AR (right ascension)
DEC (declination)
AH (hour angle)
Z (zenith distance)

Masa de Aire (air mars)
al límite (time to the limit): see section 3.1.

Estado (status): see section 3.1.
AR: see section 3.1.
DEC: see section 3.1.
Raqueta (hand paddle): see section 3.4.

Vel. Seg. (’’/h) [increase in tracking speed (‘’/h)]: see point 3 in section 2.1.

Figure 15: The information panel.

Cúpula (dome)

Cup and Tel (azimuth of the dome and telescope): when observing these angles should be similar. Otherwise the dome could vignette the images.

Ventana (upper hatch): this value is 0 when the upper hatch is completely opened and 90 when it is closed.

Compuerta (lower hatch): this filed will display Cerrada or Abierta when lower hatch is closed and opened, respectively.
Foco, Pos (focus): displays the current focus value.

Pétalos, Estado (mirror covers): this filed will display Cerrado or Abierto when mirror covers are closed and opened, respectively.

Meteorológica (weather station):

presión (pressure), Hum Int/Ext (inner/outer humidity), Temp. Int/Ext (inner/outer temperature), Viento (wind).

5.2. Guiding mode

When the autoguider is on, the panel changes to the image shown in figure 16. The histogram displays the error in guiding where the radius of the small circle is 1 arcesc.

Figure 16: The information panel in guiding mode.

In any case, it is possible to come back to the information panel even when guiding is on. To do so, go to Displays in the main menu and select Informativo (informative – see figure 17). The panel will display Guiando (guiding) in the Estado (status) field.

Figure 17: Changing the display to the informative mode.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS SPANISH/ENGLISH

6.1. Telescope control

Spanish	English
Abrir	To open
Aceptar	Accept
AH (Ángulo Horario)	Hour Angle
Ajustar coordenadas	To fix coordinates
Aparcar	To park telescope
Apuntar (catálogo)	To point (catalogue)
Apuntar (usuario)	To point (user)
Archivo	File
Archivo binario	Binary file
Ascensión Recta (AR)	Right Ascension
Autoguiado	Autoguiding
Automático	Automatic
Barridos	Scans
Cambiar clave	Change key
Cambio de rayo	Beam changing
Catálogo	Catalogue
Cerrar	To close
Compuerta	Lower Hatch Shutter
Configurar	Setup
Control sistema Cúpula	Dome system control
Cúpula	Dome
Declinación	Declination
Día Jul	Julian Date
Editar	To edit
Eliminar Reg. Actual	Delete current entry
Eliminar Reg. Seleccionados	Delete selected entries
Época	epoch
Est. Meteorológica	Weather station
Estado	Status
Extractores	Dome extractor fans
Fecha	Date
Foco	Focus
Guardar	To save
Guardar como	To save as
Hum Int/Ext	Humidity internal/external
Introducir	To enter
Ir a la luna	To go to the moon
Mapear	To survey
Masa de Aire	Air Mass
Mecanismos	Mechanisms
Modificar	To modify
Nuevo	New
Objetos	Objects
Ordenar	To sort
Paralaje	Parallax
Parar Cúp, Comp y Vent	Stop dome, lower hatch and upper hatch
Parar el Telescopio	Stop tracking
Pétalos	Mirror Covers
Posicionar	To place/To position
Presión	Pressure
Raqueta Foco	Focus paddle
Raqueta telescopio	Telescope Paddle (hand paddle)
Seguimiento	Tracking
Seguimiento con bucle	Loop tracking
T. al limite	Time to the limit
Teclado	Keyboard
Temp. Int/Ext	Temperature internal/external
TS (Tiempo Sidéreo)	Sidereal Time
TU (Tiempo Universal)	Universal Time
Utilidades	Utilities
Vel. Radial	Radial velocity
Ventana	Upper Hatch Shutter
Viento	Wind
Z (Distancia al zenith)	Zenith Distance

6.2. FOVIA-II

Spanish	English
Aceptar	To accept
Activar	To put on
Autocámara	Autocamera
Autoenfoque	Autofocus
Autoguiado	Autoguiding
Autosensibilidad	Autosensitivity
Borar marcas	Delete Marks
Borrar ventanas	Delete Windows
Botonera	Button bar
Cámara	Camera
Cambio de rayo	Beam changing
Centroide	Centroid
Correlación	Correlation
Definir Home Cámara	Define Home camera
Definir Home Foco	Define Home focus
Desactivar	To put off
Distancia entre puntos	Distance between points
Foco	Focus
Frecuencia	Frequency
Ganancia	Gain
Guardar imagen como	To save image as
Histograma	Histogram
Incrementos Señal de Guiado	Increases in the guiding signal
Marcas	Marks
Máximo	Maximum
Método guiado	Guiding method
Número de Imágenes de Integración	Number of Integration Images
Opciones	Options
Posición cursor	Cursor position
Posición rayos	Beam position
Posición referencia	Reference position
Raqueta cámara	Camera Paddle
Salir	To exit
Sensibilidad	Sensitivity
Ventanas	Windows