1. Prototype Camera Mount
Designed to:
Provide maximum camera stability.
Facilitate simple rotational alignment and levelling.
Be inexpensive to manufacture and durable.
Maximize versatility.
We decided to develop a prototype camera mount to gain some experience in design and to develop a camera mount that would better suit our calibration and test deployment needs.
Designed to:
Provide maximum camera stability.
Facilitate simple rotational alignment and levelling.
Be inexpensive to manufacture and durable.
Maximize versatility.

2. Prototype Camera Mount
Firmly holds camera at two points.
Azimuth, height and levelling adjustments.
Can be mounted onto tripod, optics bench or under a dome.
Firmly holds camera at two points.
Azimuth, height and levelling adjustments.
Can be mounted onto tripod, optics bench or under a dome.

3. Prototype Camera Mount
Azimuth adjustment
The azimuth adjustment allows the camera to be oriented so that “North is up”, even after it has been levelled.

4. Prototype Camera Mount
Levelling feet
Attaching legs containing levelling feet allows the camera to mounted onto a simple bracket under a dome. During the recent deployment a bulls eye level was placed on the mount to aid in levelling.
We tested the accuracy of this system by determining the pointing direction of the camera using known star catalogues and it is within ½ degree of vertical.
Height adjustment

5. Enclosures
Currently investigating a variety of possible designs including:
A “small shed” design rather than a highly engineered custom enclosure.
Peltier device based heat pumps for environmental control.
A custom dome installation kit to facilitate installations onto existing structures.
Currently investigating a variety of possible designs including:
A “small shed” design rather than a over engineered custom enclosure.
Peltier device based heat pumps for environmental control.
A heat pump made by teca (ThermoElectric Cooling America Corporation) was successfully used in and ASI built at the UofC in the 80’s.
A custom dome installation kit to facilitate installations onto existing structures.
Possibly manufactured out of Fibreglass, it would be designed to cover a crudely cut square hold and would have a mounting lip built in. This would greatly reduce the amount of roofing required (and therefore the amount of skill).

6. Enclosures
The custom built observatory at the University of Athabasca.
The observatory at the University of Athabasca is first class all the way. It has a phone, internet, a heated dome and a minibar.
Rankin Inlet camera has been operating successfully for 3 years in a less than ideal enclosure. This success is one of the factors pointing us in the direction of low cost stand alone “sheds”.
The NORSTAR Rankin Inlet shack.

7. Enclosures
Canadian made Fibreglass enclosures. They can be manufactured with a dome hole and mounting lip.
Canadian made Fibreglass enclosures. They can be manufactured with a dome hole and mounting lip built in.

8. Enclosures
Commercially produced vinyl garden shed. The panels may be used to create a custom shelter.
This is currently primarily a low cost alternative to prototyping using Fibreglass.
Commercially produced vinyl garden shed. The panels may be used to create a custom shelter.

9. Enclosures
When the internet connection to the observatory at Athabasca kept being delayed we gutted an old ASI that is on the roof of the main University building and deployed the camera on tripod in the shell. Note the cover over the teca unit.

10. Enclosures Don’t forget to burp it!
Our high tech computer enclosure … that has survived to thunderstorms!
Don’t forget to burp it!

11. Site Selection
NORSTAR array sites have been identified. In the process we discovered:
A high level of enthusiasm and cooperation.
Surprising number of potential sites and custodians.
Future challenges:
Technically proficient custodians will be critical to success of the THEMIS array.
Site set up will require large degree of adaptability.
NORSTAR array sites have been identified. In the process we discovered:
A high level of enthusiasm and cooperation.
Our requests were uniformly met with enthusiasm and curiosity.
Surprising number of potential sites and custodians.
There are an amazing number of research stations, mines etc. in the Canadian North
Future challenges:
Technically proficient custodians will be critical to success of the THEMIS array,
The array is simply too large to make it manageable without competent at most if not all of the sites.
Site set up will require large degree of adaptability.
Particularly in the far north, we must be able adapt to meet the challenges unique to each site, both cultural (guns for example) and environmental (cold and polar bears to name but two). A certain amount of flexibility must be maintained in our choices of enclosures, domes, communications, custodians etc.

12. Site Selection
Fort Chipewyan is a remote and very small community that is also a future NORSTAR site. The Wood Buffalo Environmental Association has expressed their intent to allow us to use there building and their site manager as a custodian.
The Wood Buffalo Environmental Association air monitoring array and the Fort Chipewyan site.

13. Site Selection
The current the CANOPUS site at Contwoyto Lake is dependent upon the Lupin Gold mine for access and power. The future of this mine is very uncertain and the support received from them has been less than satisfactory (Don Wallace).
We contacted the Ekati diamond mine located in the same region and almost immediately received this glowing letter of support. Note the highlighted section :
“We commit to providing transportation from Yellowknife to the Ekati Diamond Mine, and room, board and technical support while on-site.”
There is also a heated building that may be suitable for our needs as well as internet. I am personally very excited at the prospect of locating more of these enthusiastic collaborators.
Thank you.