25/09 AM – Exoclock Video Conference Day 1
So I had planned to sit in on the Exoclock Annual meeting all day for both days but in the end I could only attend for the pre-lunch meetings as I had promised Dave that I would assist at the IMT3b observatory. So I will catch up on the afternoon talks when they are made available online.
The talks were varied and included experts from the Ariel Mission, Twinkle Mission, JPL, Telescope Live, BAA , members of the Exoclock project followed by workshops of which again I really wanted to be present to participate in the CMOS workshop but I couldn’t.
25/09 PM – IMT3b Warm Room & Donkey Work
We shutdown the dome computers, network and whilst Bob started on the warm room electrics Dave and I proceeded to 1 ton of scalpings from the front of the house into wheelbarrows and then push them up the garden to be stored ready for the warm room patio construction. It was a very humid day and we were both sweating heavily by the end of it.
The dome computers were repowered and outstanding software updates applied (BIOS, Windows updates, windows software and RPi4 OS & software) before the Autumn imaging sessions begin in earnest.
The day was rounded off by relaxing with a glass of red wine and dinner with Bob, Dave and the family. As the evening turned out to be cloudy there would be no imaging so it was an early night ready for the hard graft on the following afternoon.
26/09 AM – Exoclock Video Conference Day 2
Another set of fine talks and I especially thought it was a nice touch that an artist Lea who won the new Exoclock Logo Competition was awarded some imaging time on Telescope Live.
Lea took a bit a time explaining her background and how she formulated the design for the new logo.
It was even better that not being an astronomer she was persuaded to undertake some Exoplanet observations and report on her experience.
26/09 PM – IMT3b Warm Room Windows
The 7ft double glazed windows were put by Dave, Luke and Tim and myself. It was nerve racking as we manhandled the two panes from near the side of the main house up steps and along the garden with the Tim and Luke taking the awkward window corners whilst Dave and I used floor tile clamps on the glass.
Bob came over to complete the electrics for the warm room and I left when Dave started stretching on tiptoes to put in the red & white light fittings. I figured I could complete the remaining software updates remotely.
The AAG software was updated to 9.1.4 from the old 8.1.0 version, we still need to investigate the wind sensor reading with Jamie from AAG.
So we now access to the Humidity sensor settings and the appropriate alert levels. Previously I had to rely on both ASCOM local conditions and internal dome humidity via ASCOM (BlueAstro StickStation) but I wonder if we want to trigger an unsafe state by including the humidity thresholds.