Forty Foot Remote Observer

 

Forty Foot Page

The Observe File Creator is a program that allows you to assemble a set of instructions for the Forty Foot Telescope Control Computer. Once you download the program and unzip it, you will see this screen when you launch the program:

To create a new Observing file, click on New OBS File. The following interface will pop up:

Here you fill in the fields, choosing whether you wish to observe in continuum mode or spectral line, and at what epoch.

For example, if your source catalog is from epoch=1950 , and you want the telescope to point to current coordinates (ie calculating precession for you), then you would select epoch, and fill in 1950 in the field. If you want the telescope to point exactly where you tell it, then choose apparent epoch.

 

 

Now you are ready to click on Next>>

 

 

This is what the next screen looks like. For each instruction you give to the 40 Foot Control Computer, you have to fill in the fields in this screen. If you want the 40 foot to fire the calibration signal, then you would choose Calibration.

 

 

Because the previous screen had spectral line chosen, here you options specific for a spectral line observation. If you had chosen continuum, the screen will look different.

 

 

Here you see the fields that let you choose start and stop times for this instruction line, and the declination for this instruction line.

 

Once you have this screen completed, you will choose to save this observation. Then, the following screen appears:

 

In the example above, three lines of observing instructions have been created: Two calibrations, and a spectral line observation. To add new lines, click on new at the bottom. To change the order of the lines use the bottom to the right of the screen. It says up right now. To edit a line click on edit down at the bottom of the screen. When you are done Save the Observation file, and e-mail it to Sue Ann Heatherly . Ready? Download the Observe File Creator to make a 40 Foot observing file.