From a computer controlled telescope to a robotic observatory: the history of the VIRT

TL;DR

This paper chronicles the evolution of the Virgin Island Robotic Telescope from a human-supervised automated system to a fully autonomous robotic observatory, highlighting software development and deployment across multiple sites.

Contribution

It presents the development and implementation of ROS-based software enabling full robotic operation of the VIRT, extending its application to various observatories worldwide.

Findings

Successful transition to fully robotic operation

Deployment of ROS software on multiple observatories

Enhanced autonomous observational capabilities

Abstract

The Virgin Island Robotic Telescope is located at the Etelman Observatory, St Thomas, since 2002. We will present its evolution since that date with the changes we have performed in order to modify an automated instrument, needing human supervision, to a fully robotic observatory. The system is based on ROS (Robotic Observatory Software) developed for TAROT and now installed on various observatories across the world (Calern, La Silla, Zadko, Les Markes, Etelman Observatory).