1. Setting Up a Remote Observatory
Bernard Miller

2. Agenda Roll-off roof versus dome Required Equipment Optional Equipment
Software
Demo

3. Roll-off Roof vs Dome Reasons for choosing roll-off roof
More room
15x15 footprint allows for two piers
Less complicated
Syncing scope and roof is one more thing that can go wrong
Possible higher maintenance
Dome moves constantly throughout imaging session
RoR opens and closes once per session
Have a friend with RoR that served as an “adviser”
Either one will work fine
Go with what you are comfortable with

4. Required Equipment Pier WEB Switch Video Camera(s)
To turn equipment on/off
Video Camera(s)
To see what is going on in the observatory

5. Required Equipment Pier Concrete Pier using Sonotube Cheapest solution
Need to consider mounting plate for mount

6. Required Equipment Pier Omega1 pier from Backyard Observatories
More expensive ($800.00)
Pre-installed electrical outlets
Reusable in the future

7. Required Equipment Web Power Switch Power control via the web
Controls up to 8 devices
Connects to internet via IP:port address
i.e :1234

8. Required Equipment
Web Power Switch

9. Required Equipment Video Express 4 Video Server (~$600.00)
Controls 4 independent video cameras
Streams all four channels to WEB address
WEB access using IP address:port ( :23)

10. Required Equipment Video Video Camera ($132.00 each)
Very low LUX rating (0.0003)
Need video cable and power supply

11. Required Equipment
Video Web Page

12. Required Equipment Video Internet Camera ($235.00)
TRENDnet SecurView Day/Night Pan/Tilt/Zoom Internet Surveillance Camera TV-IP422 (White)
Would recommend getting wired version
Avoid infrared cameras

13. Optional Equipment Backup Power Supply Dome Controller Power Monitor
At-Park Monitor
Weather Monitor
Flip-Flat

14. Backup Power Supply Backup Power Supply ($130.00 - $500.00)

15. Foster Systems Foster Systems Dome Controller ($260)
At-Park Monitor ($35)
Power Monitor ($30)
Weather Monitor ($630)

16. Foster Systems
Foster Systems – Master Controller

17. Foster Systems
Foster Systems – Dashboard

18. Foster Systems
Foster Systems – RoR Controller

19. Foster Systems
Foster Systems – A-Park Monitor

20. Foster Systems Magnetic Switches Tane Alarm Products
Model SM35WG
These have a 2-inch gap tolerance (WG stands for wide gap)
Easier to work with on RA/DEC since it is not always possible to space them close together
In Phoenix I got mine at
Tri-Ed
3725 E Roeser Rd., Suite Phoenix, AZ Tel Fax
Use 20 or 22-guage 2-wire security cable
Available at Home Depot

21. Foster Systems
Foster Systems – Power Monitor

22. Foster Systems
Foster Systems – Weather Monitor

23. Foster Systems Flip-Flat – Used to take flat field images ($450.00)

24. Software ACP MaximDL FocusMax Pempro Main observatory control software
Controls Camera and guide scope
FocusMax
Performs camera auto focus
Pempro
PEC and polar alignment

25. Software ACP ($895.00 plus $295.00/year)
Main observatory control software
Controls roof, telescope, mount, camera, focuser, FTP for file transfers
Integrates with MaximDL, FocusMax, Foster Systems controllers, and all equipment drivers
Fully ASCOM compatible

26. Software
ACP

27. Software
ACP Telescope Setup

28. Software
ACP Roof Setup

29. Software
ACP Camera Setup

30. Software
ACP Auto Guiding Setup

31. Software
ACP Auto Focus Setup

32. Software MaximDL ($600.00) Camera and Guider control software
Integrates with ACP and telescope
Controls guider and image acquisition

33. Software
MaximDL

34. Software FocusMax Controls most autofocusers
I use Microtouch Autofocuser
Integrates with ACP to perform autofocus before and during image acquisition
Freeware

35. Software
FocusMax

36. Software Pempro ($150.00) PEC Polar Align Wizard
Measure and train PEC on most mounts
Polar Align Wizard
Assists with drift method for polar alignment

37. Total Cost Lease: $5000.00 Observatory: $8500.00 Pier: $800.00
Web switch: $109.00
Video Server: $600.00
Video Cameras: $400.00
Foster Systems Controller: $350.00
ACP: $895.00
MaximDL: $600.00
Pempro $150.00
Total: $17,404.00

38. Some Pictures

39. Pictures
Foundation

40. Pictures
Slab

41. Pictures
Midpoint

42. M33
Pictures
Observatory

43. Equipment
M33
Pictures

44. Pictures
PGC 59984
M92

45. Pictures
NGC 869 & 884

46. Pictures
NGC 869 & 884

47. Pictures
Lunar Eclipse

48. Pictures
M42
Trapezium

49. Pictures
IC 405

50. M33
Pictures
NGC 604

51. M78
McNeil's Nebula

52. M101
PGC 49919
NGC 5477

53. M81
Holmberg IX

54. Demo
; ; ; This plan was generated by ACP Planner ; For: Bernard ; Location: Rancho Hidalgo ; Coords: Lat = 31° 56' 49" Lon = 108° 53' 54" ; Targets: 1 ; NOTE: Timing features are disabled ; Autofocus at start of run. ; #autofocus ; === Target M81 === #dither 0.8 ; Automatic dithering #repeat 1 #count 1 #filter Luminance #interval 60 #binning 1 M81 09:55: ° 04' 02.0" #dither 0 ; Disable dithering #shutdown ; Shut down the observatory ; ; END OF PLAN

55. Links My Web site: http://www.azstarman.net
Rancho Hidalgo:
Granite Gap:
Backyard Observatories:
Web Power Switch:
Video Server:

56. Links APC (UPS): http://www.apc.com
CaliforniaPC.com (Video Server):
APC (UPS):
Foster Systems:
ACP Observatory Control:
MaximDL:
FocusMax:
Pempro: