JCMT/UKIRT telescope control system

Russell D. Kackley; Nicholas P. Rees; Jeremy A. Bailey

doi:10.1117/12.461562

13 December 2002 JCMT/UKIRT Telescope Control System

Russell D. Kackley, Nicholas P. Rees, Jeremy A. Bailey

Proceedings Volume 4848, Advanced Telescope and Instrumentation Control Software II; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.461562
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 2002, Waikoloa, Hawai'i, United States

Abstract

The Joint Astronomy Centre (JAC) operates the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), the world's largest sub-mm telescope, and the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT), the world's largest telescope dedicated solely to infrared astronomy. Although these two telescopes investigate different regions of the electro-magnetic spectrum and have different mounting arrangements, the JAC (in collaboration with the Anglo-Australian Observatory) has developed the Portable Telescope Control System (PTCS) software so that it can be used on both JAC telescopes. The benefit of this work is increased efficiency, reduced maintenance time, and reduced personnel costs as a result of using a common code base on both JAC telescopes. During the next year, the PTCS will be enhanced as part of the JCMT Observatory Control System (OCS) project so that configuration information can be transmitted to the PTCS via XML files. This will simplify the PTCS interface and expedite the implementation of the OCS. This paper gives an overview of the PTCS, describes its use on both telescopes, and indicates how XML files will be used to configure the telescope prior to the start of an observation.

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Russell D. Kackley, Nicholas P. Rees, and Jeremy A. Bailey "JCMT/UKIRT Telescope Control System", Proc. SPIE 4848, Advanced Telescope and Instrumentation Control Software II, (13 December 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.461562

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