Have you ever missed out on a night of clear skies because you relied on the TV weatherman?
Have you gone outside to check on a long series of exposures, only to find that a passing shower has soaked your equipment?
Well, it's happened to us! To fight back, Boltwood Systems Corporation has developed and built a new tool for the astronomer's arsenal.
The Boltwood Cloud Sensor II measures the amount of cloud cover by comparing the temperature of the sky to the ambient ground level temperature.
The sky temperature is determined by measuring the amount of radiation in the 8 to 14 micron infrared band. A large difference indicates clear skies,
whereas a small difference indicates dense, low-level clouds. This allows the sensor to continuously monitor the clarity of the skies, and to trigger
appropriate alerts on your computer.
The device also includes a moisture sensor which detects rain and snow. To prevent false alarms due to frost or dew, a heater keeps the sensor
slightly above ambient temperature. When rain or snow falls, the sensor is automatically heated to 70 degrees Celsius. This clears the sensor quickly
when the precipitation ends, and ensures that the sky-measuring thermopile has a clear view.
New! The Boltwood Cloud Sensor II now measures wind speed, using a specially-designed anemometer with no moving parts. The sensor
will now warn you when winds speeds are too high for safe operation of the observatory. Plus the sensor now detects daylight and can be set to automatically
close the roof to prevent any possibility of sunlight entering the telescope. The sensor now also measures humidity, and provides a continuous
readout of temperature, humidity, and dew point.
The included Clarity II Windows software monitors the sensor via a USB interface. It displays and logs all sensor information. Alerts can appear
visually, or with sounds from either the PC speaker or sound card. The user can choose to be alerted for clouds, wind, and/or wetness; all with adjustable
thresholds. You can display a mini status window or the full information display.
The sensor unit itself will trigger an electrical contact closure when heavy clouds, high winds, or precipitation is detected. When connected to a dome or roof
controller, this contact can be used to trigger closure even if the computer is not operating. This provides a 'last line of defence' against damage
to your observatory equipment.
ActiveX and file interfaces are provided for integrating the Clarity II software into your observatory control system.
The complete control software is available on the downloads page, where users may periodically check for updates.
Both sensor firmware and Clarity II upgrades may be available.
Available exclusively through Diffraction Limited, the Boltwood Cloud Sensor package includes the sensor unit, mounting bracket, a 50-, 100-
or 150-foot (15m, 30m or 45m) data cable, 110/220 VAC 50/60 Hz power supply adapter, and software CD-ROM. Compatible with Windows 2000/XP/Vista. Open source
Linux drivers are available.
The complete package includes sensor with mounting bracket (shown attached to a pole), cable, adapter box, universal AC power supply with international plugs, USB cable,
protective cover, and PC software.
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