KELT-S Scripting Documentation

The KELT-S telescope is run primarily by two applications sold by the manufacturer of our Mount, Software Bisque. These applications are CCDSoft, which controls the Camera, and TheSky6, which controls the mount. Since these are Windows-based applications, the Control Computer runs Windows. In order to write scripts to automate the telescope operations, we use VBScript, which can talk to both applications, issue commands to them, and manipulate the Windows environment. Below is an outline of the scripts that we run each night to conduct the tasks.

At all hours, the computer continuously runs the weather extraction script to read data from SALT or SuperWASP weather feeds, saving that data to a file.

At noon each day, the Almanac Script runs to extract the times of astronomical twilight and dawn for that night, along with the position of the moon.

Each afternoon (3pm local time), the master script is called, and waits until the specified activation time to continue.

At 1 hour before 18 degree (astronomical) twilight, the master script executes the preparation script. Flats and biases are taken, then flats, and the weather is checked. If all looks good, the master script executes the opening script, and then the observation script. If weather is not good, the standby script is executed. The observation script runs through the night. At astronomical dawn, the master script executes the closing script, and then shuts down itself. Some time after closing, the documentation script is run.

Preparation Script (Executed once at astronomical twilight)

Check status of camera and mount: communication, CCD temperature
slew to watch flatfield
take 5 darks, and 5 biases, interspersed
turn on flatfield lights
take 5 flats
turn off flatfield lights
check that flats and biases are reasonable quality, save quality info
check weather file, make sure is current

Opening Script (executed at beginning of the night of observing)

check PLC status, make sure all OK
open roof
check roof successfully opened

Observation Script (executed continuously through the night of observing)

check that weather is still good
check position of moon
determine which fields are currently visible
slew to Westernmost visible field and expose
slew to next field in Eastern direction not close to moon, if all the way East, slew back to West
if weather turns bad, execute Standby Script
at middle of night, take 5 darks and biases

Standby Script (executed continuously through the night of observing when in standby mode)

check weather status, call Observation Script if weather turns good

Closing Script (executed once at the end of a night of observing)

Slew telescope to park position (to avoid getting dust or water on lens during roof closing)
Slew telescope to point at flatfield
take 5 flats, 5 darks, and 5 biases, interspersed
park telescope

Documentation Script (executed once at the end of a night of observing, after the Closing Script)

Select quality images, 3 full images and 30 subframes
Transfer quality images to Vanderbilt
Copy weather and observing logfiles to Vanderbilt
Copy full data set from drive 1 to drive 2