1. Using the Bradford Robotic Telescope & VPhot for Variable Star Photometry Richard ''Doc'' Kinne Astronomical Technologist AAVSO
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

2. What is the Bradford Robotic Telescope?
A remote, robotic telescope.
Operated by the University of Bradford, England
Located in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

3. Equipment Available
Constellation Camera FLI MaxCam CM2-1 w 1k x1k pixel chip. Opticals are a Nikon 16mm f2.8 lens.
Coverage: 40 sq. degrees
Filters
Red, Green, Blue (RGB system), ND2, Clear
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

4. Equipment Available
Cluster Camera FLI MaxCam CM2-1 w 1k x1k pixel chip. Opticals are a Nikon 200mm f2.8 lens.
Coverage: ~4.3 sq. degrees
Filters
Red, Green, Blue (RGB system), ND3, Clear
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

5. Equipment Available
Galaxy Camera! Camera FLI MicroLine 1k x1k chip. Each pixel at 13um sq. Opticals: A Schmidt-Cassegrain Celestron C14 w an effective focal length of 1877mm at f5.3
Coverage: ~24 arc min.
Filters: Johnson BVRI, OIII, ND3, HA
Yea, This is the One!
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

6. Setting up a Job
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

7. Setting up an Object
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

8. Selecting a Scope
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

9. Selecting Exposure Time & Filter
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

10. Interlude – Waiting for the Job
Strengths of the Bradford Robotic Telescope
Simple Interface – meant for education.
Excellent to monitor LPV.
Weaknesses of the Bradford Robotic Telescope
It is not an interactive scope.
You have no control over queue wait time.
Not good for monitoring CVs or quickly following up on on anything.
Cannot do time series.
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

11. Retrieving your Job – You've Got Mail!
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12. Job Details
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

13. Job Details
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

14. VPhot
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

15. Vphot – Uploading Images
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

16. VPhot – Quick Upload
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

17. VPhot - Uploading
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

18. VPhot – The Uploaded Image
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

19. VPhot – Image Analysis
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

20. VPhot – Image Analysis
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

21. VPhot – Image Analysis
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

22. VPhot – The Photometry Report
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

23. VPhot – The AAVSO Report
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

24. Downloaded to your Computer – aavso_report.txt
#TYPE=EXTENDED
#OBSCODE=KQR
#SOFTWARE=VPhot 3.1
#DELIM=,
#DATE=JD
#OBSTYPE=CCD
#NAME,DATE,MAG,MERR,FILT,TRANS,MTYPE,CNAME,CMAG,KNAME,KMAG,AMASS,GROUP,CHART,NOTES
RV Tau, ,9.597,0.085,V,NO,ABS,ENSEMBLE,na,126,12.625,na,na,4620VM,From the BRT
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

25. To WebObs, Star Boy!
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

26. WebObs – Upload the File
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

27. WebObs – Review the Observation
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

28. WebObs – SUCCESS!
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

29. Thanks! Mike Simonsen – for CCD concept assistance.
Dr. Arne Henden – for filter concept assistance.
Dr. Aaron Price, Kate Davis, & Will McMain – for WebObs and the AAVSO Website
Geir Klingenberg & Michael Kran – for VPhot!
The BRT Team – for maintaining and keeping the Bradford Robotic Scope available and open!
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011

30. Special Thanks!
Gary Poyner, FRAS – For introducing me to the Bradford Robotic Telescope in particular, and robotic telescope observing in general Thanks, Mate!
AAVSO Spring Meeting, 2011