The First G-APD Cherenkov Telescope (FACT) became operational at La Palma in October 2011. Since summer 2012, due to very smooth and stable operation, it is the first telescope of its kind that is routinely operated from remote, without the need for
a data-taking crew on site. In addition, many standard tasks of operation are executed automatically without the need for manual interaction. Based on the experience gained so far, some alterations to improve the safety of the system are under development to allow robotic operation in the future. We present the setup and precautions used to implement remote operations and the experience gained so far, as well as the work towards robotic operation.
List of all contributions from the First G-APD Cherenkov Telescope (FACT) Collaboration to the 33rd International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC)
One of the main design goals of the MAGIC telescopes is the very fast repositioning in case of Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) alarms, implying a low weight of the telescope dish. This is accomplished by using a space frame made of carbon fiber epoxy tubes, re
sulting in a strong but not very rigid support structure. Therefore it is necessary to readjust the individual mirror tiles to correct for deformations of the dish under varying gravitational load while tracking an object. We present the concept of the Active Mirror Control (AMC) as implemented in the MAGIC telescopes and the actual performance reached. Additionally we show that also telescopes using a stiff structure can benefit from using an AMC.
