LLLOD
Lunatico Last Line of
Defence
It will take control in case of need
Lunatico Last Line of Defence (LLLOD)
As its name implies, the last element
in the safety of your observatory.
Lunatico Last Line of Defence (LLLOD) is your ultimate observatory protection.
In a nutshell, it will monitor certain elements, periodically, and take control of and close the observatory if the circumstances become unsafe.
The software is distributed in a new fashion we like to call “Up To You Ware“.
It does not need any additional Lunatico product – although it is a great partner to our Good Night System. (Attached GNS sample screen image)
What it can monitor:
- the roof (via ASCOM)
- internet connectivity
- certain program running (your automation software, typically)
- weather (via ASCOM Safety Monitor)
- the mount (ASCOM telescope) – to make sure it does not point downwards
It will monitor and, if something goes wrong, after waiting a little bit, it’ll take control and close the session in an orderly fashion.
- WHY?
You may ask, if you have your great automation program, with session control and weather monitoring, and recovery, emergency… well, if that works for you, great, indeed you don’t need LLLOD. Me, on the other hand, I have tried most of the automation programs out there; most are great, quite reliable, and excellent value for money. However, with all I’ve tried (and that’s 5 of them), at some point, things have not ended as well as they should have. The thing is, those programs are extremely complex, they control many many things and situations. LLLOD, on the other hand, is extremely simple, it just does a simple job, but does it solidly. Period.
- UP TO YOU WARE?
We want you to use the program. You can keep it forever. If however, you use it and find it useful, you should pay for it, and we hope you’ll be inclined to so. It’s a little smart program contributing to protecting your precious equipment. Maybe you’ll consider sending us as little as $1/1€ each time the program saves the day… er night? Or a one-time payment somewhat higher? Or nothing at all. That’s what we call it “Up to you ware“.
- GNS? (Optional with LLLOD)
GNS (Good Night System) is our first observatory monitoring program. Worth mentioning here is it is passive.
As with LLLOD, it does one thing, but in an extremely solid way.
GNS will keep you updated on things and, most importantly, will wake you up in case of trouble.
GNS + LLLOD means, fundamentally, if the closing session (parking the mount, closing the roof, etc) process fails, you’ll be warned immediately.
An additional benefit, if your automation program does not support the GNS (many of them do), LLLOD can send you some useful information during the night. And if the internet connection to the observatory fails, or the PC crashes, you’ll be warned too.
We had considered adding the LLLOD functionality to the GNS, but decided against it. GNS is simple, extremely stable and reliable, and has been working for many years now in many places around the world.
LLLOD has to be as reliable as GNS—it is not as simple, as it has to interact with external elements (mount, roof, safety monitor…), but the simpler, the better. Also, being separated allows users to use one and not the other.
Supporting our work
We’ve decided to offer this software for free – but we’ll indeed appreciate if you decided to donate some amount, depending on how useful you find the program.
We’re calling this “Up To You – ware”. At the end of each session, you’ll have a summary window offering you the chance to donate something – if and how much, is up to you
Donate by Stripe (for USD)
Donate by Paypal (for €)
Smartphone apps and permissions
Lunatico’s smartphone apps (GNS, GNSFree, Dragonfly, pocketCW, and any future ones) do not require nor use any sensitive data or permission. None at all.
Not only that, but:
• the apps will only use your Smartphone storage to save their own settings
• they won’t access your calls, contacts, identity… nothing at all
• the only information they’ll know about you is what you configure in the settings
… and even that won’t be shared with anyone. Ever.
LUA inside