I’m trying a new program I found called ‘Tektite Skies’. The guy runs an algorithm that does cloud detection from all sky cameras and uses it as a safety device to shut down your observatory.
Anyways, he apparently had issues working with ASCOM and currently doesn’t support the safety device class. Is there a way to send a script command to SGP to cause it to shut everything down similar to a safety event? Can anyone think of a better way to do this?
Since we do not have this capability yet in SGP, I use AutoIt to make scripts that push buttons in the SGP user interface. If you are interested, I can give you my script that shuts down SGP. It’s not pretty but it works.
Also probably worth mentioning that you can do a few things with the API currently (nothing at a sequence level). You can see what it can do by running SGP and pointing your browser here: http://localhost:59590/metadata
Hi Chris,
I am the writer of Tektite Skies. ASCOM is very easy to write for. I had to remove the ascom component as some customers refused to install ascom. My preference would be to include ascom, but this is not what was wanted. Instead I offer the ability to start up applications/scripts from my software. At the moment I have an ascom script that will park my telescope when the sky is cloudy. I have updated a new version today, for the moment it will be without cost.
Hi Ken,
I a vague on the details (it was a few years ago and not that big of a decision). But essentially the customer was running an astro farm in South Africa and told me the way it was going to be, he had a bad experience with ASCOM and felt that it wasn’t up to scratch. So given that he was one of my prime beta testers I followed. That being said, my software is not just for astronomy use and has found applications elsewhere.
I think Chris is right - an optional ASCOM interface makes a lot of sense for amateur astrophotographers and / or, if you had ‘safety monitor’ in mind, to adopt that, so that existing programs, SGP being one of them, can take action, based on an ‘OK to image’ status.
Tektite skies is not limited to astronomy predates SGpro and for that matter ASCOM safety switches by a couple of years and those who have contributed most are not in the field of astronomy.
However, I will write an ASCOM app and test it out myself. But that being said it is a lot of effort to create such a thing that is stable and performs as imagined, I will release it if there is enough interest. I think I should have a working beta in a couple of weeks.
Already my software will produce flag files for external interfacing. This is intended to provide web masters with a means of interfacing their webpages. I will let the forum know of my results.
Hi Chris,
I have started work on an ascom interface for the safety switch. Initial results are good. I am looking to have it as a plugin. This should keep most happy, further to that I have also started work on an application that monitors the ascom switch. Let’s see how it goes.
Just installed the full version of Tektite today and I’m waiting for the same functionality.
Count on me if you want a beta tester under the ITALY climatic conditions.
After about 10 hours of work. Success. The driver is works and is being tested. SGPro follows clear/cloudy from Tektite. I will let the forum know the results.
No, the weather safety is a kill switch unfortunately. Unlike some of the other programs, they didn’t feel like it was worth continuing if the weather warranted closing the observatory. Frankly, after 2 years of doing this and watch the weather, I find I lose very little time because of this decision making. Usually if it rains, there is a front moving through and it’s cloudy anyways. Very rarely is it the ‘rogue’ pop-up storm where my observatory would have the chance to open back up. It does happen. Just not very often
Hopefully the camera will arrive this week and I can give it a try this weekend :). I’m really excited to see how this works!
maybe an idea could be to point the SkyCam as a guide and wakeup the recovery if star are detected…stop…stop, I am creating a Astroenstein (Frankenstein).
great buy, you’ll be happy with the Moonglow SkyCam, a few minutes to setup and you’re online, this is my page my page to monitor SQM, AllSkyCam and Activity status.