Solutions Guide

Automate Your Observatory

A simple guide to weather monitoring, roof automation and observatory protection with Lunaticoastro systems.

Whether you are starting with weather monitoring or building a fully automated observatory, our systems work together to monitor conditions, control equipment and protect your observatory.

How it all fits together:

  • Monitor weather conditions (CloudWatcher)
  • Control equipment and roof automation (Dragonfly)
  • Notify you when attention is needed (GNS)
  • Protect the observatory in emergency situations (LLLOD)
01
Weather MonitoringCloudWatcher
02
Roof AutomationDragonfly + sensors
03
Alerts & MonitoringGNS — free
04
Emergency ProtectionLLLOD — free

Weather monitoring

CloudWatcher

CloudWatcher continuously monitors weather conditions and helps protect your observatory from unsafe weather.

CloudWatcher monitors:

  • rain
  • clouds
  • sky brightness
  • temperature
  • pressure and humidity (optional)
  • wind (optional)
Essentials
CloudWatcher — Main weather station
  • Standard or Hydreon rain sensor
  • Cable length: 3, 5, 7, 10m or customised
  • Optional Relative Humidity and Atmospheric Pressure
Highly recommended
Mounting Bracket — For safer and more reliable installations.
  • Wall version
  • Pole version
Anemometer — Measures wind conditions.
  • Standard
  • Heated (snow/frost/extreme weather)
Optional
Solo — Low-power standalone monitoring and web publishing
Other accessories — power supply, USB to serial converter, …
CloudWatcher weather station
Dragonfly observatory controller

Roof automation

Dragonfly

The central controller of the observatory.

Dragonfly connects weather monitoring, roof automation and observatory equipment into a single control system.

What can Dragonfly do:

  • Control roll-off motors
  • Monitor roof position
  • Monitor the CloudWatcher and other sensors
  • Control observatory equipment
  • Manage power and automation tasks
Required
Dragonfly controller — The heart of the automation system.
Dedicated power supply
  • Must be dedicated to Dragonfly and not shared with other devices
Depending on your observatory
Roof position sensor
Telescope position sensors
USB module
Dragonfly is designed to work with a wide variety of third-party roof motors and automation systems.

What would you like to monitor?

Dragonfly can be extended with a range of sensors to suit your observatory setup.

Roof position

  • Proximity Sensor
  • Mechanical Limit Switch (standard or rugged)

Telescope position

  • Tilt Sensor

Mount parked status

  • Distance Sensor

Device control

  • USB Module

Observatory monitoring & protection

GNS & LLLOD — Free software for remote observatory monitoring and protection.

Keep watch over your observatory, wherever you are.

Why use both?
GNS alerts you
LLLOD protects you

Together, they provide monitoring, notifications and emergency protection for unattended observatories.

GNS

Stay informed.

GNS actively watches over your observatory and notifies you when action may be needed. It doesn't just display information — it makes sure you know about important events wherever you are.

  • Monitor observatory status
  • Receive notifications and alarms
  • Check conditions remotely
  • Be notified when intervention may be required

Sleep peacefully knowing you'll be alerted if something goes wrong.

GNS observatory monitoring software

LLLOD

Automatic emergency protection.

LLLOD is designed for unattended observatories. If a critical problem occurs and nobody responds, LLLOD can take action to protect the observatory.

  • Monitor critical systems
  • Detect dangerous situations
  • Trigger emergency protection actions
  • Provide an additional layer of safety
LLLOD emergency protection software

Choose your starting point

I want a fully remote observatory

Start with Weather Monitoring and Roof Automation, then add:

Free downloads