Web-cams

Various new cameras have been purchased and were installed on the observing floor, in the control room, in the electronics room and on the weather station mast. These cameras will be used to monitor activity at these locations as to avoid danger to personnel and equipment when telescope and/or instruments are being operated remotely. The cameras can also serve the purpose of assisting the staff in fault diagnostics when they are not at the telescope.

The cameras in the telescope building can only be remotely used when they are switched-on manually be a person in the room where the camera is installed. Notices advising people of the presences of the cameras and instructions on how to switch the cameras on and off are posted in each room and in the general instructions to the observers. To avoid possible unwanted outside access to the cameras a system has been implemented to allow only time limited password access to the cameras (e.g., access for a staff member from his home). A web page is being developed to provide a simple overview of all web cameras from within the password protected IntraNOT web pages. None of the data from the web cameras which are installed inside the telescope building are being archived.

The intention is to also use these cameras during the coming remote observing school at Tuorla to provide a better view of the operations of the telescopes and as part of the communication between the remote observing site and the control room.