1. Presented by: Kevin Beaulieu & Dustin Crabtree
_______________ RIT Observatory Data Pipeline & Automation Project: Summer Research ______________________
Presented by:
Kevin Beaulieu & Dustin Crabtree

2. CIS South Pole Involvement
CARA has pioneered the operation of telescopes in Antarctica.
Advantage
Dry, cold weather ideal for IR astronomy
Disadvantages:
Harsh climate results in few astronomers begging to visit Antarctica.
Few understand how to process the data obtained.
Solution: RIT CIS in 1999 built a pipeline to provide uniform data products to the world astronomy community
However the pipeline was far from efficient…

3. Motivations for RIT Observatory Project
Objective of Summer Based on the CIS Astronomy Pipeline Project
RIT Observatory Data Pipeline and Automation Project serves as a local ‘model’ for South Pole astronomy
Ultimate Goals:
1. Images obtained remotely with ease
2. Data reduction accurate and timely
3. Find and report “roadblocks” in process
4. Apply lessons learned from this experience (and the 1999 SPIREX/Abu program) to a next generation IR telescope

4. How it relates to Imaging Science...
The body of knowledge resulting from our ability to detect and display information in visual formats.
We have all necessary components in process:
Input, System, Output
Imaging System Analysis Goals:
Improve efficiency of system
Provide user with automatic tools with minimal maintenance and user intervention

5. RIT Observatory Facility
10” Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope mounted on Astro Pier
5-meter Ash Dome

6. RIT Observatory Facility
CCD camera
1530 x 1020 pixels
FOV: 0.4 degrees
Four filters: B, V, R, I
2nd smaller array:
used for tracking
read out in “binned” mode
CCDops Software
Image Capture
Interface connecting Dell computer to telescope

7. Automation Project (Ideal)

8. Dome Automation Assisted in Dome Circuitry Analysis
Circuitry housed in a NEMA protective box
Became familiar with PSpice™ Schematics© software

9. TASS Mark IV Data Pipeline
The pipeline is designed for use with the Mark IV prototype camera used by the Amateur Sky Survey, but has been adapted for use by the RIT Observatory
The pipeline processes an entire data set automatically. The Data Reduction Pipeline operates through several steps in order to reduce the data:

10. Reference Catalogue -
Dark Image -
Flat Field Image
Image Cleaning
Find and Measure Stars
Astrometry -

11. Astronomical Image Acquisition
Participated in several nights at the Observatory for image acquisition
Assembled a well-documented binder for future reference
Motives for Researching Selected Objects
Brief Description of Data Pipeline
Separate Sections for Each Night’s Observations
Meticulous Logs
Sample Images
Plots- Julian Date Vs. Magnitude, Julian Date Vs. Background, Julian Date Vs. Full Width at Half Max

12. Motives for Researching Selected Objects
ST Virgo- Variable Star
Berkeley 87- Star Cluster
2001 KP41- Asteroid
756 Lilliana- Asteroid
WZ Sagittae- Cataclysmic Variable Binary Star System
Unknown- Eclipsing Binary Star System

13. ST Virgo Focus of Research in June/Early July Pulsating Variable Star
Objective:
Selected as a target to learn more about the entire image acquisition and data reduction processes
“Roadblocks” in Observatory Automation Project noted as astronomical data was collected and analyzed

14. ST Virgo Data
Proof of Variability
Magnitude Vs. ID Number

15. June 28, 2001: Cloud Cover Example
ST Virgo Data
June 28, 2001: Cloud Cover Example
Magnitude Vs. ID Number
Sky Vs. ID Number

16. Berkeley 87 Star Cluster Objective:
Used as a target while the Observatory’s 10-inch Meade telescope Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope was tested for slew accuracy
COMPLETE automation will require telescope to accurately move from one object to another

17. WZ Sagittae (sah-JIT-ee)
Cataclysmic Variable Binary Star System
Objective:
Help in a global effort to determine its period during a RARE SUPER-OUTBURST display
Theory: By analyzing the light curves, humps are found in the plots that suggest that the larger secondary star is transferring mass to the smaller, yet denser white dwarf.

18. WZ Sge Light Curve from 2001 Super-Outbursts (from )

19. WZ Sge Data: Magnitude Vs. Julian Date
July 26
August 4
August 7

20. Unknown Eclipsing Binary Star System
We noticed that a star within the FOV of WZ Sge was changing brightness over the course of his shift at the Observatory.
Collecting and analyzing data (plotting light curves) to find out more

21. Unknown System’s Light Curve
Magnitude Vs. Phase

22. Challenges Telescope and Camera Automation Data Pipeline Dome Control
Weather- open, close
Alignment with telescope
Telescope DOES NOT have a memory
Need automatic focus
Data Pipeline
Automating reduction process (as soon as data arrives in archive)
Data Storage Limits

23. Conclusion
RIT Observatory summer research has been a start to building the local ‘model’ for the South Pole.
Experimental Design:
Creation of a pilot software package is underway.
Data Acquisition:
The Dome Automation Project will continue into the fall of 2001.
Data Reduction:
Most of the major problems of the Data Pipeline have been addressed.
Archiving:
A universally accessible storage area for raw/cleaned images and processed data has been created.a