Hi all, Bill here
Please forgive a newish user - I may be asking a question that’s been answered before.
I’m trying to envision how a school observatory will be set up. I intend that most students will use the web dashboard for their work, rather than getting into the on the fly section, and only very advanced students will use dragscripts.
From the dashboard, students can connect to a profile, autofocus, select a target from Roboclip or Sesame, precise point to that target, and take “on the fly” type images.
But how can they start a sequence on the target they’ve selected? If I provide a sequence file, say M42_HOS.s2q, it will have a target built in. If they’ve selected Eta Carina, then select that sequence in the dashboard, it will slew back to M42 and image that.
Is there a way of overriding the RA and Dec in the sequence file from inside the dashboard? If they can do that, then I just have to provide a few generic sequence files (one for LRGB, one for narrowband, maybe a couple of others) and they would select the target, precise point, take a couple of test shots and then run the generic sequence that images their selected target.
Many thanks for any suggestions you can make.
HI, its a nice addition to do. Actually is not possible.
I suggest in anycase to take a look at openskygems network and if your observatory use Voyager Advanced and OSG Plugin you can join the network and offer to your students a more automated and web based environment
https://www.skygems-observatories.com/
All the best
Leonardo
I’m not the teacher, I work with Diego Colonnello to provide the observatory, hardware and software, as well as documentation to support the imaging.
The aim of the project is the images, not the action of getting them, so I’m required to have the students have the least complex possible task to acquire them.
I’ll investigate the possibility of providing template s2q files for a few different types of sequence for a generic target, such as:
- one hour of RGB 30s subs
- one hour of RGB 120s subs
- one hour of 300s SHO subs
- one hour of Ha 300s subs, etc.
…and then editing the template to inject the target and other required information. This will give me a one-hour sequence, which I can then run several times overnight while the target is above 30° and while it’s still dark.
The student can use the Web Dashboard to select a target, take test images, etc. and then inject the data into the correct places in the relevant s2q file before running that file from the dashboard.
Do you think this can work?
Thanks for you help, Leo!
Cheers, Bill
Hi Bill,
I think your solution is to use the OpenSkyGems plugin with Voyager Advanced.
I hope this helps.
Was born exactly to create community of users around observatory and allow targeting.
Community can be private or public, or you can allow all to access renting the time.
All the best
Leo