ABSTRACT
Automation is an advanced topic, though we have already encountered simple forms in some of the practical assignments. This chapter introduces the concepts and potential opportunities. A more thorough and detailed analysis is covered in The Astrophotography Manual, including detailed setup instructions for the PC and network configuration. For deep-sky imaging, target planning is more of an assist than true automation. External planning utilities have the ability to selectively choose objects from a catalog, based on type, visibility and so on and export details into a text file format. Other automated features include sequence scheduling, target acquisition and centering, triggered autofocusing, dithering, autoguiding, meridian flips, and monitoring. In the case of changing weather conditions, unattended operation additionally requires monitoring the environment and taking appropriate action. The remote operation is made possible by free applications like Microsoft Remote Desktop or TeamViewer.
