OK, since there appears to be some interest.......
My observatory (Hunters Hill, Canberra) has been operating since 2002 doign Minor Planet (and the occassional comet) research (Astrometry and more recently Photometry).
I am no genius
so my set up is off the shelf - plug and play.
What can I do with it?
1. I manually open and close the observatory (simple roll top roof)
2. I manually power up and down the telescope, computer and Cameras
3. I manually produce an observing plan
4. At the start of the night I load the plan into the software and press go.
5. In the morning I download all the images from my Observatory computer.
Now the suite of software I use does support observatory/dome automation - I just can't afford the $15K to buy such an observatory dome
What the automation does is:
1. AutoFocus the scope
2. Work out if the target is observable.
3. If observatble (ie above the preset horizon) then point the scope to the co-ords
4. Take a pointing image and plate solve it (ie determine where the scope is actually pointed)
5. Synch the scope and re-slew to the right co-ords if required
6. If the exposure is longer than the no guide limit take an image and find a guide star then start guiding
7. Change filter (if required)
8. Take the image
9. Repeat from 1 for the next target or do multiples of the current target (or a combination as detailed int he observing plan)
The software will handle moving targets - ie it will automatically repoint after each image to keep the target in the centre of field.
Hardware I use:
Meade 14" LX200GPS on a Wedge
Meade 4" SCT piggybacked to the main scope
Starlight Xpress MX716 as the guide camera on the 4"
SBIG ST-8E (or 9E depending on what I am doing) on the main scope with an f/3.3 FR producing f/4 on the ST-8E and f/5.6 on the ST-9E (ST-8E has a CFW-8 with BVRI filvers)
Star2000 Relay Box (for autoguider connection)
Software:
ACP4 (main control package)
MaxIm DL 4 (Core product)
Pinpoint 4 (Optional since Maxim includes Pinpoint LE)
FocusMax
Points to note:
My 14" has 120" PE (This is NOT a typo)
My imaging resolution ranges from 1.3"/px to 2.64"/px
The SBIG cameras are parallel and I do NOT use thier internal guide chips
The MX716 is USB
My scope puts up with extreme amounts of dew, frost, ice (gets to -15 c some nights at 90%+ humidity)
I only leave it open to it's own devices IF I am reasonably confident that it won't rain (most of the time these days)
From a research perspective the automation has increased my data capture rate from an average of 40hrs/month to 85hrs/month
I have produced a quick and dirty paper on the subject that is available from my web site:
http://www.david-higgins.com/Astrono...0Observing.pdf
Welcome any questions you may have.
Cheers
David Higgins
E14
Canberra, Australia
http://www.david-higgins.com