Autonomous real-time all-sky cloud detection over Mauna Kea

William Mahoney; Glenn Morrison; Grant Matsushige

doi:10.1117/12.926308

13 September 2012 Autonomous real-time all-sky cloud detection over Mauna Kea

William Mahoney, Glenn Morrison, Grant Matsushige

Proceedings Volume 8448, Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems IV; 84481Y (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.926308
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2012, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

Canada-France-Hawaii-Telescope (CFHT) Corporation operates and maintains under automation an all-sky mid-infrared (IR) camera providing the Mauna Kea community with real-time cloud detection and sky monitoring solutions. From the cloud's mid-IR black body emission detected in a medium bandwidth filter (10-12μm), time-based differentials are obtained permitting clouds to be detected for global and specific sky regions above Mauna Kea. The instrument interfaces with CFHT environmental monitors for autonomous operations and weather-induced shutdowns. Development efforts are continuing to eventually provide the following new data products: cloud cover determination, photometric quality assessment, sky and cloud brightness and color-based temperatures. The initial dataset provided by the instrument has shown to be invaluable for all modes of ground-based astronomical observing.

Citation Download Citation

William Mahoney, Glenn Morrison, and Grant Matsushige "Autonomous real-time all-sky cloud detection over Mauna Kea", Proc. SPIE 8448, Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems IV, 84481Y (13 September 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.926308

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