Overview

This User Guide assists users in configuring and operating observatories with Astra. It covers the main topics required to get started:

• Observatory Configuration:

  Configure your observatory’s hardware and safety limits.

• FITS Header Configuration:

  Manage FITS headers, linking device methods to FITS keywords.

• Scheduling:

  Develop automated observing plans using JSON Lines (.jsonl) files.

• Operation:

  Learn how to safely operate your observatory, including startup, calibration, and safety mechanisms.

• Core Logic:

  Understand the internal workings of Astra, including process management, device communication, and error handling.

• Customising Observatories by Subclassing:

  Learn how to create and load Observatory subclasses to adapt site-specific behaviour — for example custom startup/shutdown sequences — without modifying the core source.