Remote Observing with the Keck Telescopes from the mainland:
A Presentation to the NASA IRTF/Keck MOWG - March 31, 1998
Bob Kibrick, UCO/Lick Observatory
MOTIVATION
- Make remote observing from the mainland an option for Keck observers:
- Needed for short observing runs (1 night or half-night)
- Provide backup observing programs if sky conditions not adequate for primary program
- Provide ability to react rapidly to targets of opportunity
- Support collaborative observing between astronomers at several sites
- Improve capability of mainland instrument builders to provide remote technical support to Keck:
- Allows mainland technical support staff to analyze instrument problems in real-time
- Very important given large number of instruments Keck must absorb
- Interferometer will require increased remote technical support and coordination between mainland sites and Keck
CURRENT STATUS
-
Software for Keck remote observing from the mainland has been successfully demonstrated:
- July 1997: LRIS operated from SPIE Conference in San Diego
-
October 1997: Simultaneous, collaborative operation of LRIS from 3 sites:
- Keck-2 summit control room
- Keck-2 remote operations room in Waimea
- UCO/Lick CCD Lab at U.C. Santa Cruz, California
- This software works with both HIRES and LRIS
- This software will also work with ESI and DEIMOS
- Most Keck remote observing sites in California will be connected to vBNS via CalREN-2 network by July 1, 1998
-
vBNS
= the very high speed backbone that is part of the Next Generation Internet (NGI)
-
CalREN-2
network is the California portion of NGI that connects major sites: e.g., UC, Caltech, NASA AMES (see map)
- See attached map for vBNS
topology
and
list of connected sites
CURRENT NEEDS
What is needed to make Keck remote observing available from mainland sites?
- Improved bandwidth and reliability on link between Hawaii and mainland
- Improved bandwidth and reliability on links between mainland sites
- Video conferencing multiplexer hardware at Keck HQ (also needed for Interferometer)
- Video conferencing hardware at mainland sites
How can NASA help address these needs?
- Assist Keck, Gemini, and UH to obtain higher-bandwith link from Hawaii that connects to mainland vBNS
- Assist mainland remote observing sites to obtain connections to vBNS
- Accelerate acquisition of the video conferencing multiplexer hardware at Keck HQ
- Assist with acquisition of video conferencing hardware at mainland sites (e.g., JPL, Caltech, UCSC)