BSM_Berry. The AAVSO ST8-XME camera failed about a month ago, and Greg Bolt is in the process of installing his personal ST8-XME to tide us over while the AAVSO camera is being repaired or replaced.
BSM_Hamren. This system currently resides on Gary Walker's Cape Cod house deck. It has been operated for 27 nights with good success. Recently, we took the original CMOS camera to BSM_NM (see below) and are in the process of installing a new CMOS camera on BSM_Hamren. It should be operational in a week or so.
BSM_NH2. Fully operational.
BSM_NM. Gary Walker and I just upgraded this system. The Paramount ME mount had failed, but Mike Rice at NM Skies was kind enough to swap components from his stockpile and restore this mount to full operation. Tzec Maun has now supplied another Takahashi E180 astrograph, and with BSM_Hamren's ZWO ASI183mm-pro camera, BSM_NM is now upgraded to the latest configuration. We're doing final startup tests, getting darks and flats, and experimenting with the focuser and autofocusing. This system should be on-line in a week or so.
BSM_S. Fully operational.
BSM_TX. The mount has been upgraded to a Paramount MyT. We will be doing commissioning tests of this system over the next month as weather permits.
OC51. The camera has developed a moisture streak and will be examined by Nigel Frost in the next day or so. We're hoping that a cleaning will be sufficient and that we will return to imaging shortly.
SRO50. Fully operational.
TMO61. The mount has developed a "chatter" that Jon Holtzman is investigating. We hope that it will return to operation in a few weeks.
We have agreements in place with the Tzec Maun Foundation to upgrade five of the BSM systems to a Takahashi E180 astrograph and a Paramount ME, with the AAVSO providing a ZWO ASI183mm-pro camera. Two such systems are already in place. BSM_NH2 will obtain its E180 shortly. We expect to upgrade the two Australian sites within a few months. Gary Walker and I are testing a QHY600 CMOS camera. If it performs according to specs, we hope to replace the cameras at TMO61 and OC61 to provide better scientific results. We have a team in place that is upgrading and improving the HQ pipeline. As usual, the image inspectors have been extremely helpful over the past month, identifying problems in the images that we can address early so that little science is compromised. Thanks to everyone working on the AAVSOnet robotic telescope network!
Arne
Hats off to all of the AAVSO people who look after the AAVSOnet-BSM sysytem.
Your work and dedication is so much appreciated.
Dave Dowhos DDJ