Issues as of 8/19/2012

Set Back
It seems that as soon as something is fixed another thing breaks. This time it was the CCD. For some unkown reason the CCD failed to readout the image after the exposure. It would only happen to the BORAT server and only with the Debian install. Changing the distro fixed the issue.

I took the Debian install, took an exposure, camera locked up (from the server perspective). Hot swap to another distrobution and magically the CCD works perfectly, without resetting the CCD.

 I think this may have been due to a library update on Debian. Which library heck if I know. The local debian update repo was messed up so instead of fixing (already killed two nights), rebuilt the BORAT server with Ubuntu, which only took about 6 hours. I would have really liked to figure out what really went wrong, but this issue put the entire project on hold.

I do NOT place the blame on Debian, it was some thing messed up with our local install. 


New Problem YAY!
Another issue that is a kick in the groin is the home grown focusing unit may not work for scientific work. Initial test of using the focuser shows that between focus adjustment the stars seem to skip to a new position. If further testing confirms this that is bad, this is really bad. Why you ask?

Focusing Test, tele @ park, focusing between exposures

 Stationary Test, tele @ park, taking exposures

In short when the stars randomly move around it messes with the autofocus. The autofocus expects stars to be in the same position, assuming tracking works and no fork problems, so when the star moves out of it's spot the FWHM for that star is incorrect. Take this and apply to all the stars in a field and this creates a very big problem.

The autofocus script does do radial detection of stars, but if the stars jump a whole lot, like in the video, we can't perform miracles.
 
The astrometry tracking correction, I assume, is also effected. A new pointing model is created with each new image thus a telescope adjustment could become quite frequent. This could become an issue too.


Software

• Modify focus driver to test independent pieces to pinpoint cause of mirror flop- More testing Needed
• RTS2 LX200GPS driver getting overhauled to actually work, and to support LX200GPS specific features like sleep etc - In Progress
• Astrometry - FIXED by using sextractor instead of built in star detection :)
• Autofocus - Before BORAT rebuilt we got mixed results, main issues due to focuser altering star position (see above)
• Add user friendly GUI to control primitive features of the system - On Hold 
• Startup/Shutdown observatory scripts - Done, NEEDS TESTING
• Night report

Hardware

• Deadman switch for dome in driver - Done, Needs Testing
• Motion sensor wiring done, just need to connect each sensor via breadboard/connectors - On Hold
• Boltwood sensor reporting clear skies as cloudy - Fixed (testing)
• Fan need to be added to focuser/fan controller box - Ordered

 Security - ON HOLD

• Motion detectors need to be wired in and fully tested
• Need some minor integration with IR+ZM+Lights work in combination
• Bluecherry Capture Card module causing kernel panics, need to grab new version and compile