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Description
This work presents the design and implementation of TelServer, a modular observatory control system developed to integrate telescope and dome subsystems within a unified communication framework. The system interfaces with a DFM Telescope Control System (TCS) via RS232, while dome motion and shutter operations are controlled through programmable logic controllers (PLCs). A socket-based architecture enables flexible command input from multiple clients, including Python scripts, web-based user interfaces, or C/C++ applications.
The architecture emphasizes abstraction and scalability, separating high-level command handling from hardware-specific control layers. Standardized control APIs are developed to manage telescope pointing, dome rotation, and shutter actuation, ensuring consistent communication across subsystems.
The paper presents system architecture diagrams, communication protocols, and control workflows. Experimental results include evaluation of PLC performance, encoder selection, and feedback reliability under operational conditions. Particular emphasis is placed on synchronization accuracy between telescope pointing (RA/Dec) and dome positioning (Alt/Az), including analysis of the coordinate transformation algorithm used to align dome slit orientation with the telescope line of sight.
Performance metrics demonstrate reliable tracking and alignment, with quantified pointing errors and response times, supporting the system’s suitability for remote observational astronomy applications.
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