Sky & Telescope - September 2024 - 60

GEAR CONTROL by Ron Brecher
Going Remote
A
Set up your gear so you can operate it from anywhere in the world.
strophotography is often challenging. For many of
us, the summer months bring sweltering temperatures
and swarms of biting insects at night. Those of
us who live farther north struggle with bitter temperatures
in the winter, making it uncomfortable to be outside with
our gear. Building a backyard observatory or other permanent
setup only solves some of the problems. My observatory
is conveniently located only about 24 meters (80 feet)
from my house. And while it's easy for me to get to, the
mosquitos have no problem finding me there. So, rather
than sacrifice many otherwise good nights, I decided to
change my setup so that I could control all my imaging gear
from inside my house. And with some investment, you can
go remote, too.
For many, the term remote imaging conjures up thoughts
of an ultra-high-end setup perched atop a faraway mountain.
That's certainly a good option for apartment dwellers or
others looking to acquire top-notch data from dark skies. But
the equipment can just as easily be nearby, with the imaging
session controlled and monitored from the comfort of
your home. And once set up, you don't even have to be home.
For instance, I image remotely when I travel, managing my
scopes and cameras from my hotel room or anywhere else
where I have an internet connection. With the right equipment
and software, you can automate every action necessary
to take beautiful deep-sky imagery, from dusk to dawn, and
in hot and cold weather.
Although setting up a remote system requires some
planning, you don't need to be a computer wizard to do it
yourself. Here are some of the essentials you'll need to take
advantage of every calm, clear night.
Connecting from Afar
Any piece of computer-controlled equipment can be part of
your remote setup. This includes the obvious, such as your
telescope mount, camera, focuser, and filter wheel. It also
includes less obvious elements, like using dew-prevention
devices, opening and closing the roof or dome shutter, and
even monitoring the power to the equipment in your observatory.
The computer itself that is controlling all your gear is
also capable of remote operation.
The key to remote imaging is to locate one computer at
the telescope, which all your electronically controlled gear
physically connects to. This is the heart of your observatory
- the main hub where commands are sent to the peripheral
components. This computer (let's call it the " imaging
PC " ), must be connected to the device you'll be controlling it
with either directly, through your home network, or via the
internet. You undoubtedly already use a computer positioned
close to your imaging equipment, so the first change you
uIMAGING IN COMFORT Regardless of where your telescope is
located, you'll be much more productive if you can control your equipment
remotely. Author Ron Brecher shares tips to make all your imaging
equipment accessible from wherever you happen to be on a clear night.
60 SEPTEMBER 2024 * SKY & TELESCOPE
UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR;
SWOOSH: ARENA CREATIVE / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
http://www.SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Sky & Telescope - September 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sky & Telescope - September 2024
