Automated ROR system available?

[MattJenko]

No-one has mentioned the Gemini ones yet:

http://www.geminitelescope.com/robotic-observatory-telescope/

Matt

[swag72]

11 minutes ago, MattJenko said:

No-one has mentioned the Gemini ones yet:

http://www.geminitelescope.com/robotic-observatory-telescope/

Matt

That isn't what I am after .... I already have an obs and a ROR.... I just want to automate that

[martin_h]

2 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

I've just been to an astronomy provdiers' meeting at the Observatoire des Baronnies where Marc Bretton runs an enormous hosting operation. We were discussing robotic sheds and he, like me, takes the view that no instrument should ever be able to collide with the roof under any circumstances. He said a system which is operating hundreds of times a hear simply will go wrong at some point. Unlike me, Marc is an IT expert and still takes this view...

Olly

I am in the lucky position of the roof passing over the scope no matter where it's pointing!

[gnomus]

Hi Sara

I would take a look at the Talon roof controllers - http://observatoriosspag.es/

This is what they use at e-EyE.  We have not had the chance to use it yet, but it seems fairly straightwforward.

[swag72]

I've been in contact with Antonio..... when I have my new roof they can fit the whole lot for me   

[gnomus]

Looks like you are sorted then.

[gnomus]

Incidentally, who is Antonio?

[swag72]

The Spanish contact that was linked to further up through the thread who is a Talon supplier in Spain.

[gnomus]

Ah.  Must have missed that.  Apologies for the redundancy  

[steppenwolf]

18 hours ago, swag72 said:

I've been in contact with Antonio..... when I have my new roof they can fit the whole lot for me  

That's a result, Sara. I'm disappointed though that I won't now be visiting to give you soldering lessons .....

[Mcrogers1]

I know this is an old post and the dealers below are located in the USA but the system they sell is pretty much off the shelf. Comes pre-wired and all you have to do is install it and order some toothed track for the roof to the motor interface.  I use heavy duty garage door rollers for the roof to roll along on. They sell a weather monitoring system that works with the roof control to close the roof based on parameters you set (wind, temp, clouds, etc). You can also get a power fail addon that will park the scope and close the roof automatically after a power failure (need a UPS battery backup for this). Support is top notch as well. You can wire a break beam sensor into the main control box to prevent roof movement when the scope is unparked (this is easy to do and if I can do it then a one-eyed 5 year old could wire this). All can be ran by ASCOM.

 

http://interactiveastronomy.com/ 

http://jimstar11.com/mvocontrols-motors.html      This site can get you everything and he is in business with the people at Interactive Astronomy  Jim Collins mobile: 510-495-7932

https://www.cloudynights.com/articles/cat/user-reviews/comparison-of-the-boltwood-ii-and-sky-alert-cloud-sensors-r3151 Review of the Sky Alert vs Boltwood II.

Attached are screens of the programs that run everything.

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gina]

That ROR motor drive looks way OTT!!  With a decent freely running ROR a garage door opener and bicycle chain is quite adequate.  And I shall be proving it though others have already done so.