Common AuxTel Scripts & Configurations

The following tables display the common SAL scripts used during operations with the Auxilary Telescope. These scripts are compatible with the LOVE ATQueue interface and include lower-level commands using run_command.py. The tables contain the following information:

  1. A simple description of the action/command that the script initiates to the appropriate CSCs.

  2. The script name to search for in the ScriptQueue as well as a link to its GitHub documentation.

  3. Examples of common SAL script and/or run_command.py configurations.
    Scripts that require empty configurations are labeled as “No configurations.”

General Procedures

Command

SAL Script

Script Configuration

Change summary state
set_summary_state.py
ts_standardscripts/set_summary_state.py
SAL Script

To transition ATDome to ENABLED:

data:
  -
    - ATDome
    - ENABLED

Or to transition AuxTel’s scheduler to STANDBY:

data:
  -
    - Scheduler:2
    - STANDBY

Multiple states can be set using lists and summary states are case blind:

data:
  - [ATDome, enabled]
  - [Scheduler:2, STANDBY]
run_command.py

To transition ATDome to ENABLED:

component: ATDome
cmd: enable

Or to transition AuxTel’s scheduler to STANDBY:

component: Scheduler:2
cmd: standby

NOTE: These commands are case sensitive.

AT daytime checkouts
LATISS:
auxtel/daytime_checkout/latiss_checkout.py
ts_standardscripts/daytime_checkout/latiss_checkout.py

ATPneumatics:
auxtel/daytime_checkout/atpneumatics_checkout.py
ts_standardscripts/daytime_checkout/atpneumatics_checkout.py

Telescope and Dome:
auxtel/daytime_checkout/telescope_and_dome_checkout.py
ts_standardscripts/daytime_checkout/telescope_and_dome_checkout.py

Slew and Take Image:
auxtel/daytime_checkout/slew_and_take_image_checkout.py
ts_standardscripts/daytime_checkout/slew_and_take_image_checkout.py

No configurations

AT prepare_for sequences
Venting:
auxtel/prepare_for/vent.py
ts_standardscripts/prepare_for/vent.py

Flats:
auxtel/prepare_for/flat.py
ts_standardscripts/prepare_for/flat.py

On Sky:
auxtel/prepare_for/onsky.py
ts_standardscripts/prepare_for/onsky.py

CO2 Clean-Up:
auxtel/prepare_for/co2_cleanup.py
ts_standardscripts/prepare_for/co2_cleanup.py

No configurations

AT shutdown sequence
auxtel/shutdown.py
ts_standardscripts/auxtel/shutdown.py

No configurations

AuxTel Scheduler

CSC

Command

SAL Script

Script Configuration

Scheduler.2

Enable/Resume/Stop scheduler
Enable:
auxtel/scheduler/enable.py
ts_standardscripts/scheduler/enable.py

Resume:
auxtel/scheduler/resume.py
ts_standardscripts/scheduler/resume.py

Stop:
auxtel/scheduler/stop.py
ts_standardscripts/scheduler/stop.py
SAL Script

The scripts resume.py and stop.py do not require configurations. However, enable.py may require various .yaml files for configuration.

Daytime Calibrations (consistent):

config: auxtel_fbs_image_photocal.yaml

Nightime Operations (varies):

config: example_auxtel_survey.yaml
run_command.py

See Change Summary State for configuration on enabling the scheduler. The resume and stop states are cmd: resume and cmd: stop, respectively. To load a configuration into the scheduler before enabling ATScheduler:

component: Scheduler:2
cmd: load
parameters:
  uri: example_config.yaml

Run block from scheduler
auxtel/scheduler/add_block.py
ts_standardscripts/scheduler/add_block.py
SAL Script

For the ATScheduler, to run a certain cofiguration (e.g., block_name) use configuration:

id: block_name
run_command.py

For the ATScheduler, to run the configuration block_name use configuration:

component: Scheduler:2
cmd: addBlock
parameters:
  id: block_name

ATCS

CSC

Command

SAL Script

Script Configuration

Enable/Standby all ATCS CSCs
Enable:
auxtel/enable_atcs.py
ts_standardscripts/auxtel/enable_atcs.py

Standby:
auxtel/standby_atcs.py
ts_standardscripts/auxtel/standby_atcs.py

No configurations

ATMCS

AT change Nasmyth to port 1
run_command.py
ts-xml.lsst.io/ATMCS_setinstrumentport
run_command.py

To change Nasmyth to port 1:

component: ATMCS
cmd: setInstrumentPort
parameters:
  port: 1

ATPtg

AT move mount to new azimuth or elevation
auxtel/point_azel.py
ts_standardscripts/auxtel/point_azel.py
SAL Script

To move mount to a specific position az = 88 deg and el = 80 deg:

az: 88
el: 80

To specify additional parameters like telescope rotation or slew timeout:

rot_tel: 0
slew_timeout: 240
az: 88
el: 80
run_command.py

To move the mount to a specific az/el position:

component: ATPtg
cmd: azElTarget
parameters:
  azDegs: 88
  elDegs: 80

AT enable/disable tracking
Enable:
auxtel/track_target.py
ts_standardscripts/atdome/track_target.py

Disable:
auxtel/stop_tracking.py
ts_standardscripts/atdome/stop_tracking.py
SAL Script

To move mount to a specific ra/dec position and track that target:

slew_icrs:
  ra: 5.465
  dec: -69.10

To instead locate an object with az/el:

track_azel:
  az: 132
  el: 45

Other options such as slew_planet and slew_ephem are available.

run_command.py

To move the mount to a specific az/el position:

component: ATPtg
cmd: azElTarget
parameters:
  azDegs: 132
  elDegs: 45

Once we move, we can then start tracking:

component: ATPtg
cmd: startTracking

To disable tracking, change command to cmd: stopTracking.

AT correct pointing
auxtel/correct_pointing.py
ts_externalscripts/auxtel/correct_pointing.py
SAL Script

To specify the az/el position as well as the filter:

filter: SDSSr_65mm
az: 270
el: 80

ATDome

AT open/close main dome shutter door
Open:
auxtel/atdome/open_dome.py
ts_standardscripts/atdome/open_dome.py

Close:
auxtel/atdome/close_dome.py
ts_standardscripts/atdome/close_dome.py
SAL Script

No configurations

run_command.py

To open dome main shutter door:

component: ATDOME
cmd: moveShutterMainDoor
parameters:
  open: True

To close the main sutter door, change parameter to open: False.

AT open/close dome dropout shutter
Open:
auxtel/atdome/open_dropout_door.py
ts_standardscripts/atdome/open_dropout_door.py

Close:
auxtel/atdome/close_dropout_door.py
ts_standardscripts/atdome/close_dropout_door.py
SAL Script

No configurations

run_command.py

To open the dropout door:

component: ATDOME
cmd: moveShutterDropoutDoor
parameters:
  open: True

To close the dropout door, change parameter to open: False.

Home dome
auxtel/atdome/home_dome.py
ts_standardscripts/atdome/home_dome.py
SAL Script

No configurations

run_command.py

To home the dome:

component: ATDome
cmd: homeAzimuth

Slew dome
auxtel/atdome/slew_dome.py
ts_standardscripts/atdome/slew_dome.py
SAL Script

To move dome to a new azimuth:

az: 180
run_command.py

To move dome to a new azimuth:

component: ATDome
cmd: moveAzimuth
parameters:
  azimuth: 180

ATDomeTrajectory

AT enable/disable dome following
Enable:
auxtel/atdome/enable_dome_following.py
ts_standardscripts/atdome/enable_dome_following.py
Disable:
auxtel/atdome/disable_dome_following.py
ts_standardscripts/atdome/disable_dome_following.py
SAL Script

No configurations

run_command.py

To enable dome following:

component: ATDomeTrajectory
cmd: setFollowingMode
parameters:
  enable: True

To disable dome following, change parameter enable: False.

ATAOS

Enable/Disable ATAOS corrections
Enable:
auxtel/enable_ataos_corrections.py
ts_standardscripts/auxtel/enable_ataos_corrections.py

Disable:
auxtel/disable_ataos_corrections.py
ts_standardscripts/auxtel/disable_ataos_corrections.py

Warning

Only run these scripts when the telescope is at high elevation \((\geq 70^{\circ})\).
SAL Script

No configurations

run_command.py

To enable ATAOS:

component: ATAOS
cmd: enableCorrection
parameters:
  hexapod: true
  m1: true
  atspectrograph: true

To disable ATAOS, change the command to cmd: disableCorrection.

AT clear ATAOS offsets (x, y, z or all)
auxtel/offset_ataos.py
ts_standardscripts/auxtel/offset_ataos.py
SAL Script

To reset all offsets:

reset_offsets: "all"

You can replace "all" by the individual axes you’d like to reset but they must be passed as an array of strings:

reset_offsets: ["x","y"]
run_command.py

To reset a specific axis:

component: ATAOS
cmd: resetOffset
parameters:
  axis: x

To reset all of the axes, change parameter axis: all.

ATPneumatics

Open/Close M1 cover
run_command.py
ts-xml.lsst.io/ATPneumatics_openm1cover
run_command.py

To open the M1 cover:

component: ATPneumatics
cmd: openM1Cover

To close the cover:

component: ATPneumatics
cmd: closeM1Cover

LATISS

CSC

Command

SAL Script

Script Configuration

Enable/Standby all LATISS CSCs
Enable:
auxtel/enable_latiss.py
ts_standardscripts/auxtel/enable_latiss.py

Standby:
auxtel/standby_latiss.py
ts_standardscripts/auxtel/standby_latiss.py

No configurations

ATCamera

Take image with camera
auxtel/take_image_latiss.py
ts_standardscripts/auxtel/take_image_latiss.py
SAL Script

To specify the type of image (BIAS, DARK, FLAT, OBJECT, etc.):

image_type: BIAS

To change the number of images and their exposure lengths:

nimages: 5
exp_times: 60

To select a specific filter and/or grating for imaging (see LATISS Status on Chronograph):

filter: FILTER_NAME_OR_ID
grating: GRATING_NAME_OR_ID
run_command.py

To take a select number of images with specified exposure times:

component: ATCamera
cmd: takeImages
parameters:
  numImages: 5
  expTime: 60

Generate Combined Calibrations
auxtel/make_latiss_calibrations.py
ts_externalscripts/auxtel/make_latiss_calibrations.py
SAL Script

The full list of configuration parameters are found under AuxTel Daytime Operations.

run_command.py

To enable calibration:

component: ATCamera
cmd: enableCalibration

To disable calibration:

component: ATCamera
cmd: disableCalibration

ATSpectrograph

Optical alignment of AT with LATISS
WEP:
auxtel/latiss_wep_align.py
ts_externalscripts/auxtel/latiss_wep_align.py

CWFS:
auxtel/latiss_cwfs_align.py
ts_externalscripts/auxtel/latiss_cwfs_align.py
SAL Script

The WEP script does not require a configuration schema for alignment. With the CWFS script, one can select an az/el position in the sky and limit the magnitude for source finding:

find_target:
 az: 100.0
 el: 60.0
 mag_limit: 8

Calibration Systems

CSC

Command

SAL Script

Script Configuration

ATWhiteLight

Power on/off calibration lamp
Turn On:
auxtel/calibrations/power_on_atcalsys.py
ts_standardscripts/calibrations/power_on_atcalsys.py

Turn Off:
auxtel/calibration/power_off_atcalsys.py
ts_standardscripts/calibrations/power_off_atcalsys.py
SAL Script

No configurations

run_command.py

To power on calibration lamp:

component: ATWhiteLight
cmd: turnLampOn

To power off calibration lamp:

component: ATWhiteLight
cmd: turnLampOff

This procedure was last modified on Feb 10, 2025.