| Abstract : | The advancement in power-optimized control systems, computation
capabilities and minimizing algorithms for solving complex equations,
etc., have brought the concept of an intelligent observatory to
reality. The intelligence of an observatory is a strong function of
local needs and resources. The Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO), which
runs a network of 25 telescopes hosted at 7 different sites around the
globe as a single instrument, is one example of a multi-node,
completely robotic observing facility. Photometric surveys such as the
Zwicky Transient Factory (ZTF) and Legacy Survey of Space and Time
(LSST) are expected to discover many optical transients in the
northern and southern skies. Characterizing all of those becomes a big
challenge for the astronomical community. Small sized telescopes attached with modern control softwares, optimisation algorithms, pipelines and decision making protocols can play a pivotal role in discovering new breeds of sources and also to participate in multi-messenger driven astronomical investigations. Robotic observing not only ease the observing but also optimise the telescope times. SAAO's intelligent observatory programme, with its ambitious plans of
combining optical and radio observing facilities in the long-term, has
advanced to upgrade several existing optical telescopes at Sutherland
to semi-or near autonomous operating modes. The said project is fuelled mostly by the official partnership with LSST to utilise the small sized telescopes at Sutherland and in other parts of Africa for transient followup program for LSST triggers. I have been contributing to the autonomous alert translation, modernisation of observing request
submission, scheduling, data pipelines, data distribution system, and
archives, all connected to a virtual central brain, which will enable the SAAO with AEON compliance. I will brief the current status of SAAO's intelligent observatory programs and innovative approaches applicable for small sized optical telescopes.
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