Launching a Remote Observation Point near Rowe, New Mexico
April 27, 2924
The PTZ Camera
Just finished setting up the IR CCD PTZ camera to monitor the mountains for fires and it only took a few hours before I found flames on the horizon.
The observatory server auto-timelapses the last hour of video footage, so you can easily spot a growing flickering bright image in the black of the mountains. Luckily, the forestry firefighter crews are already containing the fire.
Anyone is welcome to use the 43x Zoom PTZ camera to look for fires🔥
( or anything else interesting in the sky🛸 )
Below is an observation post over 10 miles away!
This PTZ camera was installed by Active InSite in Santa Fe New Mexico. The PTZ camera is controlled via an RS485 low voltage cable and an Axis IP video encoder using the Pelco-d protocol. URL PTZ commands from the Axis API are pulled using curl which is triggered via a PHP script. From there a custom PTZ control interface was designed using HTML and CSS code.
Analog Cameras
Ravencrest Observatory uses analog cameras for live viewing.
This is because they have old CCD sensors and can keep their shutter open for an extended period of time. Paired with large pixel sizes due to their low resolution,
these cameras are able to see well at night without infrared lights - which would interfere with the observatory telescope and the PTZ Camera's long range night vision.
You just won't see this kind of sensitivity in a modern IP camera:
Minimum illumination 0.00002 lux (Intensifier3â„¢ @ 512x)
The Observatory Telescope
The telescope is not ready just yet for public use, but will be shortly. I have to work out the observatory roof automation system, which relies on sensor data to know when it is safe to open the roof. If you want to use the telescope in the meantime please email me at activeinsite@plateautel.net