The automated palomar 60 inch telescope

S. Bradley Cenko; Derek B. Fox; Dae Sik Moon; Fiona A. Harrison; S. R. Kulkarni; John R. Henning; C. Dani Guzman; Marco Bonati; Roger M. Smith; Robert P. Thicksten; Michael W. Doyle; Hal L. Petrie; Avishay Gal-Yam; Alicia M. Soderberg; Nathaniel L. Anagnostou; Anastasia C. Laity

doi:10.1086/508366

The automated palomar 60 inch telescope

S. Bradley Cenko, Derek B. Fox, Dae Sik Moon, Fiona A. Harrison, S. R. Kulkarni, John R. Henning, C. Dani Guzman, Marco Bonati, Roger M. Smith, Robert P. Thicksten, Michael W. Doyle, Hal L. Petrie, Avishay Gal-Yam, Alicia M. Soderberg, Nathaniel L. Anagnostou, Anastasia C. Laity

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

203 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have converted the Palomar 60 inch (1.52m) telescope from a classic night-assistant-operated telescope to a fully robotic facility. The automated system, which has been operational since 2004 September, is designed for moderately fast (t ≲ 3 minutes) and sustained (R ≲ 23 mag) observations of gamma-ray burst afterglows and other transient events. Routine queue-scheduled observations can be interrupted in response to electronic notification of transient events. An automated pipeline reduces data in real time, which is then stored on a searchable Web-based archive for ease of distribution. We describe here the design requirements, hardware and software upgrades, and lessons learned from roboticization. We present an overview of the current system performance as well as plans for future upgrades.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1396-1406
Number of pages	11
Journal	Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Volume	118
Issue number	848
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/508366
State	Published - Oct 2006

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1086/508366

Cite this

Cenko, S. B., Fox, D. B., Moon, D. S., Harrison, F. A., Kulkarni, S. R., Henning, J. R., Guzman, C. D., Bonati, M., Smith, R. M., Thicksten, R. P., Doyle, M. W., Petrie, H. L., Gal-Yam, A., Soderberg, A. M., Anagnostou, N. L., & Laity, A. C. (2006). The automated palomar 60 inch telescope. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 118(848), 1396-1406. https://doi.org/10.1086/508366

@article{d5b4f44d69ce43f98ad7e351ece49979,

title = "The automated palomar 60 inch telescope",

abstract = "We have converted the Palomar 60 inch (1.52m) telescope from a classic night-assistant-operated telescope to a fully robotic facility. The automated system, which has been operational since 2004 September, is designed for moderately fast (t ≲ 3 minutes) and sustained (R ≲ 23 mag) observations of gamma-ray burst afterglows and other transient events. Routine queue-scheduled observations can be interrupted in response to electronic notification of transient events. An automated pipeline reduces data in real time, which is then stored on a searchable Web-based archive for ease of distribution. We describe here the design requirements, hardware and software upgrades, and lessons learned from roboticization. We present an overview of the current system performance as well as plans for future upgrades.",

author = "Cenko, {S. Bradley} and Fox, {Derek B.} and Moon, {Dae Sik} and Harrison, {Fiona A.} and Kulkarni, {S. R.} and Henning, {John R.} and Guzman, {C. Dani} and Marco Bonati and Smith, {Roger M.} and Thicksten, {Robert P.} and Doyle, {Michael W.} and Petrie, {Hal L.} and Avishay Gal-Yam and Soderberg, {Alicia M.} and Anagnostou, {Nathaniel L.} and Laity, {Anastasia C.}",

year = "2006",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1086/508366",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "118",

pages = "1396--1406",

journal = "Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific",

issn = "0004-6280",

publisher = "Institute of Physics Publishing",

number = "848",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The automated palomar 60 inch telescope

AU - Cenko, S. Bradley

AU - Fox, Derek B.

AU - Moon, Dae Sik

AU - Harrison, Fiona A.

AU - Kulkarni, S. R.

AU - Henning, John R.

AU - Guzman, C. Dani

AU - Bonati, Marco

AU - Smith, Roger M.

AU - Thicksten, Robert P.

AU - Doyle, Michael W.

AU - Petrie, Hal L.

AU - Gal-Yam, Avishay

AU - Soderberg, Alicia M.

AU - Anagnostou, Nathaniel L.

AU - Laity, Anastasia C.

PY - 2006/10

Y1 - 2006/10

N2 - We have converted the Palomar 60 inch (1.52m) telescope from a classic night-assistant-operated telescope to a fully robotic facility. The automated system, which has been operational since 2004 September, is designed for moderately fast (t ≲ 3 minutes) and sustained (R ≲ 23 mag) observations of gamma-ray burst afterglows and other transient events. Routine queue-scheduled observations can be interrupted in response to electronic notification of transient events. An automated pipeline reduces data in real time, which is then stored on a searchable Web-based archive for ease of distribution. We describe here the design requirements, hardware and software upgrades, and lessons learned from roboticization. We present an overview of the current system performance as well as plans for future upgrades.

AB - We have converted the Palomar 60 inch (1.52m) telescope from a classic night-assistant-operated telescope to a fully robotic facility. The automated system, which has been operational since 2004 September, is designed for moderately fast (t ≲ 3 minutes) and sustained (R ≲ 23 mag) observations of gamma-ray burst afterglows and other transient events. Routine queue-scheduled observations can be interrupted in response to electronic notification of transient events. An automated pipeline reduces data in real time, which is then stored on a searchable Web-based archive for ease of distribution. We describe here the design requirements, hardware and software upgrades, and lessons learned from roboticization. We present an overview of the current system performance as well as plans for future upgrades.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33845257310&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33845257310&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/508366

DO - 10.1086/508366

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:33845257310

SN - 0004-6280

VL - 118

SP - 1396

EP - 1406

JO - Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

JF - Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

IS - 848

ER -

The automated palomar 60 inch telescope

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this