Bibcode
Varela, A. M.; Muñoz-Tuñón, C.; del Olmo-García, A. M.; Rodríguez, L. F.; Delgado, J. M.; Castro-Almazán, J. A.
Bibliographical reference
Journal of Physics: Conference Series, Volume 595, Issue 1, article id. 012041 (2015).
Advertised on:
4
2015
Citations
0
Refereed citations
0
Description
Quantitative seeing measurements have been provided at the Canarian
Observatories since 1990 by differential image motion monitors (DIMMs).
Image quality needs to be studied in long term (routine) measurements.
This is important, for instance, in deciding on the siting of large
telescopes or in the development of adaptive optics programmes, not to
mention the development and design of new instruments. On the other
hand, the continuous real time monitoring is essential in the day-to-day
operation of telescopes.
These routine measurements have to be carried out by standard,
easy-to-operate and cross- calibrated instruments that required to be be
operational with minimum intervention over many years. The DIMMA
(Automatic Differential Image Motion Monitor) is the next step, a fully
automated seeing monitor that is capable of providing data without
manual operation and in remote locations. Currently, the IAC has two
DIMMs working at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM) and Teide
Observatory (OT). They are robotic and require an operator to start and
initialize the program, focus the telescope, change the star when needed
and turn off at the end of the night, all of which is done remotely.
With a view to automation, we have designed a code for monitoring image
quality (avoiding spurious data) and a program for autofocus, which is
presented here. The data quality control protocol is also given.