The target list produced by the TAO scheduler on the previous step should be transferred to the subdirectory \yymmdd_telescopeName created by the MU script when it was started (click here for details). If the observatory control computer and the computer used to produce observation schedules are on the same local network, the target list may simply be copied from one computer to the other over the network. If you use a remote observatory through the Internet, you will need to upload the target list to that subdirectory using a FTP client program.

Note: If you prepared the target list before starting the MU script, the subdirectory \yymmdd_telescopeName may not yet exist when you transfer the target list to the observatory control computer. In this case you will need to create that subdirectory, which may be done using either Windows Explorer (if the telescope control computer is on the local network) or a FTP client program (if you are using a remote observatory).

When the sky gets dark enough to start the observations (the precise time is defined by a parameter in the MU script's configuration file, MU.cfg), the MU script starts checking the subdirectory \yymmdd_telescopeName for the presence of a target list produced by the TAO scheduler. When it finds a list, it checks the scheduled start time of the first observation. If this time is not yet past, it waits until the scheduled start time and then starts at the first scheduled observation. If the scheduled start time of the first observation is already past, the script will skip the observations whose scheduled start times are already past, and start at the first observation whose scheduled start time is not yet past. In fact, a timing tolerance may be defined by the user, so that an observation whose scheduled start time is past by up to a certain number of minutes is not skipped.

After the start of the night's observations, FITS images are saved in suitable directories on the observatory control computer or on some other computer on the observatory's local network. Images taken for individual users will be saved to separate directories, which may be made available to each remote user using a FTP server program. In this way, each user may conveniently download only his/her images, without having to sift through the images taken for other users. This feature is also convenient for privacy purposes, since one may not wish that a user be able to download images taken for other users. A remote user may configure the program BulletProof FTP Client to continuously monitor the directory where his/her images are saved, and automatically download any new images throughout the night. In this way, images would be available in near-real time for local processing by the user (e.g., using some image processing pipeline).

The script then shuts down the observatory some time before sunrise. The automated shutdown procedure includes parking the telescope, increasing the CCD camera temperature and/or turning the cooler off, and optionally closing the dome (click here for more details about the sequence of events during an observing run with the MU script).

After the end of the observing run, you may wish to perform a timing error analysis to improve the agreement between the actual and scheduled observation times on your next observing runs. This is especially important on your first scheduled observing runs with a new set of parameters in the scheduler configuration file.

Instructions for TheSky/CCDSoft/Orchestrate users

The Orchestrate scripts produced by the TAO scheduler on the previous step should be transferred to the directory on the observatory control computer which is being monitored by Orchestrate for incoming scripts (click here for details). If the observatory control computer and the computer used to produce observation schedules are on the same local network, the Orchestrate scripts may simply be copied from one computer to the other over the network. If you use a remote observatory through the Internet, you will need to upload the various scripts to that directory using a FTP client program.

Note: If you prepared the Orchestrate scripts before setting Orchestrate to monitor the directory, you may still transfer the scripts to that directory as soon as they are produced; Orchestrate will find them when you click on Options -> Watched Folder -> Watch. If the directory to be monitored by Orchestrate does not yet exist when you transfer the scripts to the observatory control computer, you will need to create that directory, which may be done using either Windows Explorer (if the telescope control computer is on the local network) or a FTP client program (if you are using a remote observatory).

The observations will not actually start when the Orchestrate scripts are transferred to the observatory control computer. To do that, you need to create a file named handshake in the directory which is being monitored for incoming scripts. This file must have a time stamp which is more recent than the time stamps of all the text files containing Orchestrate scripts. You may create this file in another directory and then transfer it to the directory being monitored for incoming scripts, always making sure that the above time stamp condition is satisfied. This normally requires that you create a new handshake file before starting each set of Orchestrate scripts.

The handshake file would in principle have to be created or transferred within a few minutes of the scheduled start time listed at the beginning of either the scheduler log file or the scheduler summary file. Alternatively, if you chose to insert a WaitUntil command in the first script, you may create or transfer the handshake file at any time before the scheduled start time, since the WaitUntil command will cause the system to wait until the scheduled time to start the observations.

Note: If you start the run within a few minutes of the scheduled start time, the timing of the various observations will generally still be adequate, unless you will observe some very fast NEO (with a motion rate of the order of tens of degrees per day or greater). For such objects you should start the run as close to the scheduled time as possible, and, given the possibly large ephemeris uncertainty and the short time it takes for the object to cross the field-of-view, it may be advisable to schedule a mosaic of several fields around the object's predicted position.

After the start of the night's observations, FITS images are saved in the specified directory on the observatory control computer or on some other computer on the observatory's local network. A remote user may configure the program BulletProof FTP Client to continuously monitor the directory where the night's images are saved, and automatically download any new images throughout the night. In this way, images would be available in near-real time for local processing by the user (e.g., using some data pipeline).

After the end of the observing run, you may wish to perform a timing error analysis to improve the agreement between the actual and scheduled observation times on your next observing runs. This is especially important on your first scheduled observing runs with a new set of parameters in the scheduler configuration file.