Last nights meeting 23rd Jan

[NoelC]

During his presentation the speaker (Rupert Smith) said there would be a pdf of the presentation available; does anyone know where to find it?

Thanks
Noel

[Carole]

No but you could try contacting him through Astrograph.

Carole

[MarkS]

I couldn't make it last night. 
I caught a cold - probably from being out in a freezing observatory for 4 hours solid

Mark

[Ross]

I've just sent him a message regarding something he said about not using the cloud because of bandwidth problems. I thought he might like to know about Amazon Data Pipeline (https://aws.amazon.com/datapipeline). It's a way to schedule data transfer so you don't have these problems. I think it may help reduce the amount of on-premise hardware he uses and therefore reduce the risk of it going wrong.

[Hugh]

Just to advise that Rupert has just forwarded the PDF of his talk to me and I'll get it linked to the website as soon as I can.

If anyone can't wait ~ let me know and I'll send a copy by email.

Best

Hugh

[Carole]

I couldn't make it last night. 
I caught a cold - probably from being out in a freezing observatory for 4 hours solid

That's a shame Mark I think you would have found it interesting it was on Remote imaging from Spain and he actually did a Hot spot link up to Spain so we could watch his Obsy roof open and the mount move.  I am not so sure whether non imagers would have been able to follow it though as they probably have no idea of the sort of stuff we have to deal with in the course of imaging.

Perhaps you can "catch up" from the PDF that Hugh is going to post.

I've just sent him a message regarding something he said about not using the cloud because of bandwidth problems. I thought he might like to know about Amazon Data Pipeline (https://aws.amazon.com/datapipeline). It's a way to schedule data transfer so you don't have these problems. I think it may help reduce the amount of on-premise hardware he uses and therefore reduce the risk of it going wrong.

That was good of you Ross.

[NoelC]

Carole
Like you, I wondered if everyone found it as interesting as it dealt with a lot of the nuts and bolts of getting a remote system to work reliably, but I liked it. Even though I've no intention of spending the sort of cash involved, I may use some of his ideas (and kit), and it was awfully cloudy in Spain!  I have to admit my lazy alter ego is already wondering if I can roll my shed off remotely...
What was the mount he was using; did you clock it? it looked like a Paramount ME to me.  Do you think there is any mileage in an OAS remote obs - maybe we could persuade Duncan to let us build it in his garden 

[The Thing]

... Do you think there is any mileage in an OAS remote obs - maybe we could persuade Duncan to let us build it in his garden 

Just up the road is a Parc Naturel with limited population and the same good lighting laws as elsewhere. If I was selecting a place for astronomy around here that's where I'd go. A bit of a field with a good south view could be found easily and cheaply and there is very little crime to worry about for the kit. Or there is a mini chateau close by that used to be a holiday camp for kids of gas and electricity workers with several buildings, classrooms, canteen, dormitories, stone built barbecue area and around 20 concrete pads in the grounds with power and drainage (for 'permanent' tents for the kids) yours for any offer you'd like to make as they have been trying to offload it for years. Ideal for DSCs if you can afford to renovate it! Spoilt for choice really.

[Carole]

I have to admit my lazy alter ego is already wondering if I can roll my shed off remotely...

What a great idea, or even your garden.  Lol

[RobertM]

What was the mount he was using; did you clock it? it looked like a Paramount ME to me.  Do you think there is any mileage in an OAS remote obs - maybe we could persuade Duncan to let us build it in his garden 

Noel, it was an ASA direct drive mount.  Apart from planewave I don't know of any other mounts that can slew so quickly (and that wasn't full speed either).

[Carole]

I've no intention of spending the sort of cash involved

Me too, although it was interesting to see.

Also I have a bit of a "thing" about using downloaded data.  I guess when it's your own remote observatory that you set up yourself its OK, but I cannot understand how any-one who buys downloaded data that they did not capture themselves can get any self satisfaction from it, as all they are doing is processing.

By passing the hardest bit basically. 

Processing is difficult too but you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear so you need good data in the first place.  But you can get a great image if the work has been done for you from a remote location with pristine skies.

I think most of the people who inhabit this forum agree with me as we have had this discussion before.

Carole

[ApophisAstros]

Who would secure/maintain it?
Roger

[RobertM]

It would have to be looked after by someone on site Roger.  Preferably someone with expert knowledge to maintain and secure it.

Rupert raised quite a few issues that need to be thought about.  I try to run my observatory like that; it's only at the end of the garden but I see just the same sort of issues.  Intermittent hardware failures, software crashes etc.  I'm sure we all have them but if you have to recover remotely then it puts an entirely different complexion on it.

Robert

[NoelC]

Who would secure/maintain it?

I must confess that was the reason for suggesting Duncan's back garden..
It does add a whole layer of excitement though doesn't it; 'Shall I tell the computer to restart following an update' - knowing the screen will go blank and that you'll have to get someone 1000 miles away to go read the screen if it doesn't come back up.

[Hugh]

Hi Noel and everyone

For your info, the PP presentation from the last talk has now been added to the website.

Hugh