Shem LivaiInstitute for Astronomy

Mentor: Colin AspinAdvisor: Bo Reipurth

Home Institution: University of Hawaii at Manoa

Funding provided through the Center for Adaptive Optics, a National Science Foundation Science and Technology

Center (STC), AST-987683

Outline

Intro Design goals and challenges Elements of the All-Sky Camera

Project Importance and benefits Conclusion Acknowledgments…

Intro

Built three for Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Cerro Armazones in Chile

Cloud coverage Collect and store

images Monitor weather

conditions

Design Goals and Challenges goals challenges

INEXPENSIVE Efficient Withstand altitude Reliable

Ventilation Lens fogging Snow buildup Wind resistance Lightning Water proof

Elements of the All-Sky Camera ProjectCamera HardwareHousingOperation

Camera Hardware

StellaCam III camera

StellaCam III control box Controls gain,

frame, gamma

Fujinon lens Automatic iris

Design Process

1. Brainstorming 2. Researching and

sketching3. AutoCAD4. Get approval

AutoCAD Drawings

Design Process for Housing

1. Brainstorming 2. Researching and

sketching3. AutoCAD4. Get approval

Design Process Cont.

5. Cutting, sanding, polishing, gluing, and bolting

6. Install camera, lens, sensor, and fans

7. Wiring

Housing

Junction box Two fans Heat sensor Fish-eye lens Metal ring Rubber gasket Brackets Spacers and

aligner

Finished Products

Operation

Seeing real-time images

Observing cloud coverage

Get 1440 perfect images over a year No cloud and moon Take an image

every minute

All-Sky ImagesDay Time

Cloudy Night

Clear Night

Full Moon Night

Importance and Benefits

Better understanding of observing conditions

Clearer images of the night sky Reliable data for archiving Accessible to every telescope on

Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa and Cerro Armazones in Chile

Conclusion

Planning and brainstorming was important to ensure us that our finishing product would be successful

Team work was the key to success Gained a lot of real-life experience

and knowledge to apply in my future endeavors

Satisfying to see working camera as a result of my work

Acknowledgements…

I would like to thank the following: Mentor- Colin Aspin Advisor- Bo Reipurth Collaborators- Richard Shelton, Nathan

Huisman, and Ed Sousa IfA staff for their hospitality Akamai interns and coordinators for their

support Center for Adaptive Optics for the

opportunity of a life time