Notes for Using the Remote Operations Room at NOAO HQ

NOTE: DO NOT TAKE IMAGES WHICH OPEN THE MOSAIC SHUTTER WITHOUT CONFIRMING WITH THE OA OR SOMEONE ON SITE THAT THE DOME IS DARK!!! DO NOT RELY SOLELY ON THE WEB CAMERAS AS YOU CAN SEVERELY DAMAGE THE CCDS!

1. If there is a local observer, do not alter anything without notifying the local observer first! Even moving the mouse at the wrong time could interfere with an essential task that the local observer is performing.
2. If you are connecting from the Remote Ops room at NOAO HQ, use the main set of monitors (2x2 array) and on the TV screens, log in as

   4meter
   pwd [1]  (Ask Arjun for cheat-sheet of passwords)
   

   and then launch the screens using the gui.
3. If, instead, you are connecting from a different remote site, then you will first have to connect to anyconnect.noao.edu using a Cisco VPN and log in with your VPN account. Once you have done this, connect to mayall-7.kpno.noao.edu using VNC and log on as

   observer
   pwd[1]
   

4. If there is a local observer at the Mayall, select the "view only" option in the VNC settings which are located in the hidden menu at the top center of the VNC window.
5. If you are the observer, open a terminal window and

   ssh mzls@mayall-idl.kpno.noao.edu
   pwd [3]
   

   Then

   cd ~/obsbot
   git pull
   cd ~/obsbot/observing
   svn up
   idl
   IDL> mstrategy,copydir='/home/mzls/obsbot'
   IDL> exit
   cd
   ~/bin/vnc
   

6. Start the mayall-idl VNC viewer window using the VNC gui. If you open this on the mayall-2 screen, you will not need a password. Try and arrange windows so they don't overlap. I like the following arrangement:
7. Here are some useful links that could be used to monitor weather, telescope status. Some of these don't work at night (4m-webcam-3). The 4m-webcam-1 image will show the white spot light up (faintly) during calibrations. The 4m-webcam-2 does provide a useful night-time image if the dome is open. You need use safari for 4m-webcam-2, log in as "anonymous" on this one - just use the provided button. In the NOAO Remote Ops room, I like to put most of these on the large TV monitors on the left and right ends, and expand the main mayall-7 display to fill all 4 screens of the central display.
   1. KPNO weather ​http://www-kpno.kpno.noao.edu/Info/Mtn_Weather/
   2. 4m weather station display - ​http://4m-weather.kpno.noao.edu
   3. Satellite map - ​http://www.atmo.arizona.edu/gifs/IRAZ.GIF
   4. KPNO dome webcams:
      1. ​http://4m-webcam-1.kpno.noao.edu
      2. ​http://4m-webcam-2.kpno.noao.edu
      3. ​http://4m-webcam-3.kpno.noao.edu
   5. Cloud / wind predictions / measurements - ​https://www.windy.com/31.964/-111.600?31.431,-111.600,8,m:eyrac3b
   6. All-sky camera - ​http://kpasca-db.tuc.noao.edu
   7. Out-door web cams - ​https://www.noao.edu/kpno/kpcam/index.shtml
8. At this point you can go with the regular instructions: https://desi.lbl.gov/trac/wiki/PublicPages/MayallZbandLegacy/NotesforObserver
9. Connect using skype to mayall-2 which is the OA's address. The telephone number at the OA's station is 520-318-8620.