LSST Auxilliary Telescope and Dome Move in Tandem

This video shows the telescope mount assembly and dome of the AuxTel operating in tandem, with the telescope turning to point through the open shutter. The software controlling the equipment runs through the server room in the LSST summit facility building, but the commands to operate the hardware can be entered from computers anywhere on the summit network (in this case, on the first floor of the two-story AuxTel building). According to Tiago Ribeiro, LSST Scheduler Scientist, "it's pretty awesome when you enter a line of code on your computer and the system does exactly what you wanted it to do." A rigorous set of safety mitigations has been integrated into the design of the AuxTel so that this remote operation can happen without risking damage to the telescope, or injury to a person in the vicinity of the telescope, from unexpected or sudden movements.
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