Photos, Automation Products

Click on thumbnail to see a larger image of automation hardware.

This DDW control unit is mounted on the dome base ring, next to the power supply. The box contains the processors and electronics which manage the dome both remotely and from within the dome itself. The small box with five red buttons is the DDW hand control, attached by a magnet to the control box lid. Two of these buttons control rotation, two control the shutter and the fifth gives quick control of selected functions such as "All-stop" or "Slave on/off". The main screen of the DDW Control Program shows a schematic of the observatory, providing status information on dome and shutter position. On-screen control buttons operate the dome rotation and shutter, and control related functions such as weather sensors, remote on/off, slaving, scope parking, etc. Other screens are available to setup configurations and communications.

Another component of Digital Dome Works hardware is the shutter relay box. It shuts off the shutter motor when the shutter is fully open or closed. The box in the photo is mounted on the inside of the dome, near the sliding contacts which carry electrical power up to the dome motor on the rear cover. Weather instruments, an option on DDW, provide remote measurement and interlocking (e.g., close the dome if it begins to rain). Sensors may be located on the ground (direct wire link), or on the rotating dome itself (wireless link). The photo shows sensors for wind direction/speed and wetness/snow. Inside the dome is a control unit with sensors for temperature and humidity.

An azimuth sensor is used both in DDW and in Dome Dial. It mounts on the dome base ring with the wheel touching the rotating dome. Signals caused by rotation of the 2" white wheel are converted to dome azimuth values by a processor. Whenever the dome passes "home", the azimuth automatically recalibrates. Each system also includes a "training mode" in which the processor uses the azimuth sensor to measure the dome circumference. Dome Trak uses four IR emitter/detector pairs placed near the far end of the scope. An infra-red signal from each IR emitter (tightly focussed via a lens) goes out the open dome slot. As the scope slews, one beam eventually will reflect back from the slot edge, to be sensed by the detector. A processor in Control Box uses this signal to operate relays that turn on the motors until, once again, the open slot is centered in front of the scope.

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This DDW control unit is mounted on the dome base ring, next to the power supply. The box contains the processors and electronics which manage the dome both remotely and from within the dome itself. The small box with five red buttons is the DDW hand control, attached by a magnet to the control box lid. Two of these buttons control rotation, two control the shutter and the fifth gives quick control of selected functions such as "All-stop" or "Slave on/off".		The main screen of the DDW Control Program shows a schematic of the observatory, providing status information on dome and shutter position. On-screen control buttons operate the dome rotation and shutter, and control related functions such as weather sensors, remote on/off, slaving, scope parking, etc. Other screens are available to setup configurations and communications.


Another component of Digital Dome Works hardware is the shutter relay box. It shuts off the shutter motor when the shutter is fully open or closed. The box in the photo is mounted on the inside of the dome, near the sliding contacts which carry electrical power up to the dome motor on the rear cover.		Weather instruments, an option on DDW, provide remote measurement and interlocking (e.g., close the dome if it begins to rain). Sensors may be located on the ground (direct wire link), or on the rotating dome itself (wireless link). The photo shows sensors for wind direction/speed and wetness/snow. Inside the dome is a control unit with sensors for temperature and humidity.


An azimuth sensor is used both in DDW and in Dome Dial. It mounts on the dome base ring with the wheel touching the rotating dome. Signals caused by rotation of the 2" white wheel are converted to dome azimuth values by a processor. Whenever the dome passes "home", the azimuth automatically recalibrates. Each system also includes a "training mode" in which the processor uses the azimuth sensor to measure the dome circumference.		Dome Trak uses four IR emitter/detector pairs placed near the far end of the scope. An infra-red signal from each IR emitter (tightly focussed via a lens) goes out the open dome slot. As the scope slews, one beam eventually will reflect back from the slot edge, to be sensed by the detector. A processor in Control Box uses this signal to operate relays that turn on the motors until, once again, the open slot is centered in front of the scope.