Teamwork in Chile – A Journey to the Stars
We are installing a third telescope for spacecrumb® – including software integration for browser-based remote control.
67 hours of travel, 11 days of work – and many unique experiences
Our journey took us into the middle of nowhere – specifically, into the Rio Hurtado Valley in Chile. We, that are Oliver Heuser, Sebastian Rudek and Christian Cohnen. We are the sciencentric® Taskforce for Webservatory, creators of the world’s first web platform for fully automated telescope control.
A highlight for astronomy fans
The Rio Hurtado Valley, with its more than 300 cloudless and transparent nights, is a hot spot for astronomers and astrophysicists. During new moon nights, the stars shine so brightly here that they cast shadows. That’s why renowned observatories like Cerro Tololo, Gemini South, and Vera C. Rubin are right in the neighborhood. Here, there is no light pollution, and no major towns in sight. Not even smaller ones.
Sleepless in Bogot
The journey from Düsseldorf was long, that much we knew. But we hadn’t expected 47 hours. Right at our first layover in Bogota, we got stuck. Our flight was cancelled, and the connecting flights were no longer reachable. The Colombians were friendly, speaking only Spanish – but we were just tired at some point. After another 18 hours, we finally continued, via Santiago de Chile to La Serena – and from here, we took a rental car to La Pichasca, our accommodation.
Finally Arrived
Now nothing could hold us back, no trace of fatigue left. After another hour in the off-road vehicle on gravel roads up to 1,700 meters, we were there. Deep Sky Chile is the Astrofarm that sciencentric® has chosen as the location for three of its telescopes. And so that other astronomy fans don’t have to take this journey themselves in the future, they can be remotely controlled. But before that happens, we still have a lot to do.
Ready, Set, ALLUNA
After over three years of planning and preparation, including the impacts of a global pandemic and a damaged telescope mirror, the time has finally come. The ALLUNA telescope can be installed. The transporter helps us with a simple cargo crane, and we manage the rest with a mix of muscle power and finesse. The optics alone weigh 140 kg, the mount another 350 kg – and our responsibility for the expensive equipment weighs even heavier. But everything goes well, the ALLUNA is up.
Now the real work begins
All three telescopes need to be connected to the remote control. We build a network that connects them and controls them independently, install cameras, and lay over 250 meters of cables including channels in the meantime. But the most important thing is the installation of the Webservatory software. We develop it further directly on-site so that all telescopes can be controlled synchronously. It’s like a puzzle where everything has to fit. A missing and important camera adapter briefly dampens our mood. And the night sessions become a highlight – or rather, endless highlights. Because the Milky Way shines so brightly only here.
All’s well that ends well
After 10 days, it’s done – we do the first test runs and take pictures. But we don’t have much time to celebrate our success. Because there’s still a lot to clean up. And the next morning at 5 o’clock, we’re already on our way back to Germany. This time without further delays, in “only” 27 hours. Our conclusion? The journey was worth it for all of us. We are proud of what we have achieved. And the best part: When the wanderlust strikes, thanks to Webservatory, we will soon be able to look into the Chilean night sky from here.”
