How it was... The INT control room in 1986
Showing the control desk when the telescope was controlled from illuminated push buttons by the Telescope Operator. Notice also the LEXIDATA image display and DEC VT100 terminals that were in use in those days. The blue cabinet with a chart recorder was the 'Met Centre', but now long since replaced with a PC weather station.
The observers desk in 2005
Somewhat different from the image above! There is no Telescope Operator these days in the INT and the observer can drive the telescope, the autoguider and the instrument (in this case the Wide Field Camera from a mimic display) and acquire images from the 4 chip mosaic CCD camera.
The control desk has undergone quite a few changes over the years. Principally in the removal of
panels with push buttons and displays which are no longer required.
Currently, all the ING telescopes are controlled using DEC ALPHA computers.
Currently, all the ING telescopes are controlled using DEC ALPHA computers.
But some things never change...
The telescope engineering rack for manually driving the telescope, moving the dome, opening the shutters, mirror petals and turning on the oil pump, etc has remained virtually unchanged since the INT was first commissioned in 1983.
The telescope engineering rack for manually driving the telescope, moving the dome, opening the shutters, mirror petals and turning on the oil pump, etc has remained virtually unchanged since the INT was first commissioned in 1983.
