The Central Control of the MAGIC telescopes

TL;DR

This paper details the development of a new Central Control system for the MAGIC telescopes, enhancing coordination and safety for stereo-mode observations with improved hardware and software integration.

Contribution

Introduction of a novel Central Control program that manages both MAGIC telescopes, improving stereo data collection and operational safety.

Findings

Successful implementation of the Central Control system

Enhanced coordination between telescopes in stereo mode

Automated safety and health checks for the system

Abstract

The second MAGIC telescope, a clone of the first 17 m diameter MAGIC telescope, has entered the final commissioning phase and will soon start to take data, preferentially in the so-called stereo-mode. The control system for both telescopes is assigned to a number of autonomous functional units called subsystems. The control hardware and software components of the second telescope subsystems have been modified with respect to their counterparts of the first telescope. A new Central Control (CC) program has been developed to communicate with all the subsystems of both telescopes and to coordinate their functionality thus easing the stereo data taking procedure. We describe the whole control system in detail: all the subsystems and their communication with the Central Control, the CC graphic user interface that grants operators the full control over the two telescopes, and the automatic checking procedures, which guarantee the safety and 'health' of the apparatus.