New 1.0m

The "new" 1-m telescope was installed in the dome that previously housed a 30-inch telescope. The telescope was built by APM Telescopes[1] and was lifted into the dome on 02 August 2016. Commissioning is currently underway.

The 30-inch telescope was donated to the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Watch this space!

Commissioning Aids

Start-up recipe

• From thin client, log in as ccd30
  
• Open a terminal and ssh -X observer@1ms1.suth.saao.ac.za
  
• rts2-mon
  
• Manually switch off dome lockout on observing floor
  
• centrald -> "open" to open dome, followed by baffle and mirror covers (N.B. currently only works for the dome covers, so go to APM0 menu and type "open" for baffle and mirror covers
  

Running SHOC through rts2

• Start rts2 control of SHOC on shocndisbelief:
  

ssh ccd@shocndisbelief.suth.saao.ac.za
sudo bash
cd /home/petr/rts2/src/camd
sudo killall CameraServer && sudo ./rts2-camd-andor --server 1ms1.suth.saao.ac.za

• Take images with SHOC:
  

ssh -X observer@1ms1.suth.saao.ac.za
rts2-xfocusc -d C0 -e 1
(where -e is the exposure time option. Add "-X 1" to overlay grid lines).

• Take and save an image with SHOC:
  

CTRL-C out of rts2-xfocusc
rts2-scriptexec -d C0 -s 'E 1'

Running AG Lodestars through rts2

• Check whether Lodestar is connected:
  

ssh pi@1mag1.suth.saao.ac.za (or pimag2 for DER2)
lsusb
Look for "Starlight Xpress Lodestar autoguider" in output

• Start rts2 control of Lodestar on the pi:
  

ssh pi@1mag1.suth.saao.ac.za
sudo bash
/etc/init.d/rts2 start

• Take images with the Lodestar:
  

ssh -X observer@1ms1.suth.saao.ac.za
rts2-xfocusc -d AG1CCD -e 1
(where AG1CCD is on DER1 and -e is the exposure time option).

• Take and save an image with the Lodestar:
  

CTRL-C out of rts2-xfocusc
rts2-scriptexec -d AG1CCD -s 'E 1'

• Loop multiple saved images:
  

rts2-scriptexec -d AG1CCD -s 'for 5 {E 1}'
(also rts2-xfocusc --save)

Pointing tests

Follow section on Running SHOC through rts2 then

Troubleshooting

• Naughty telescope claims "Trying to contact centrald" and rts2-mon won't start:

sudo /etc/init.d/rts2 start

• Certain subsystems don't wake up:

sudo /etc/rts2/start-rts2

• Certain subsystems don't wake up with start-rts2 command above:

ps -Af | grep rts2
sudo killall <relevant process>

where <relevant process> could be: rts2-centrald - comms (?)
rts2-apm-multidev - mirror & baffle cover & primary mirror fans
rts2-teld-sitech-altaz - alt & az motors
rts2-sitech-focmirror - M2 and M3
rts2-rotad-sitech
rts2-httpd - for thrift?
rts2-cupola-saao - dome

Then restart:

sudo <relevant process>

• Derotators still don't wake up with start-rts2 command above:

sudo rts2-rotad-sitech -f /dev/derotators --defaults-der1 -=/etc/rts2/D1.ini --defaults-der2 -=/etc/rts2/D2.ini