(Quasi-)Remote Observing

Pros● Travel Cost● Transit Time● Scheduling Flexibility● Increase faculty &

students participation

Cons● Telescope Separation

anxiety● Increase involvement

of observatory staff● Data transfer

(Quasi-)Remote Observing

Requirements● Instrument/Science-Program independent● Communication

– Real time instrument control– Field acquisition

● Real time, local access to “science critical” data

● No decrease in observing efficiency

A Test Case(How not to let an earth quake get in your way of science)

●9 slit positions●Diffuse object, no point sources●Variable, unknown exposure times

–emission lines with 3 dex range in intensity

Observing with MagE

Remote Instrument Computer Desktop

Automated Local Data Display

Automated Data Transfer

IRAF

Observing with MIKE

Conclusions●Remote participation with Skype-desktop sharing - limited but extremely useful

–Skype proved very stable●Remote desktop control using Mac screen sharing - demonstrated to work in real time

●VNC – Basis for Mac screen sharing, but requires additional software at LCO

●Local access to “science critical” in real time demonstrated WITH OUT loss of efficency