TAO - Getting started

TAO
Tools for Automated Observing

Introduction

System requirements

Getting Started

Installation

Modeling slew times

Measuring camera
download times

Specifying filter
names and numbers

Modeling the local
horizon

Creating user profiles

Initializing target
databases

Customizing the
scheduler

	Parameters of the scheduling algorithm
	Equipment parameters
	Potential targets
	Scripting system
	Orchestrate parameters
	Focus breaks
	Aiming exposures
	Station data
	User profiles

Daily Operation

Starting observatory
control software

Updating target
databases

Generating a list of
potential targets

Preparing a list of
observation requests

Running the
scheduler

Starting scheduled
observations

Image Acquisition with
the MU Script

Customizing the
script

Starting MU

Sequence of events
during an observing
run using MU

Timing Refinement

Collecting timing
data

Analyzing timing
data

Adjusting the
empirical timing
correction

Other Tools

Slew time
measurement script

Minor Planet Checker
query script

Etc.

Getting started

Step 8: Customizing the scheduler (continued)

Station data

STATION DATA:
  Latitude (deg):                                                     -23.00056
  Longitude (deg, positive if east of Greenwich):                     -46.96506
  File containing horizon model:                                      horizon.txt

This section specifies information about the geographical location and horizon obstructions at your observing station.

Latitude. Specify the latitude of the station (in degrees; north latitudes are positive).
Longitude. Specify the longitude of the station (in degrees; longitudes east of Greenwich are positive).
File containing horizon model. Specify the path to the file containing the horizon model for your telescope. The path may be absolute (e.g., c:\TAO\schedule\horizon.txt or relative to the TAO\schedule directory (e.g., ..\myData\horizon.txt).

User profiles

USER PROFILES (List default user first):
  PRH.txt
  CGD.txt

This section lists the paths of the profiles of all users of your telescope. The path may be absolute (e.g., c:\TAO\schedule\PRH.txt or relative to the TAO\schedule directory (e.g., ..\myProfiles\PRH.txt).

The first user profile in the list is assumed to belong to the default user. Observation requests which do not specify a user are assumed to belong to the default user.