I think anyone who has built a robotic observatory would agree that automating remote imaging requires the right mix of equipment and technology. Without good hardware and some reliable technology to run it, the only sure outcome to a new robotic observatory adventure is frustration and difficulty. Fortunately, there is a lot of really good stuff out there to support the serious remote imager and some of my own choices for equipment and software are listed below. This, of course, is not an exhaustive list and there are also a lot of other really good alternatives out there. It simply represents what I finally settled on and what is now working well for me.

• Observatory – Roll-off-Roof, fully Robotic
• Telescope
  • Planewave CDK20 F/6.8 Corrected Dall-Kirkham
  • Off Axis Guided – Astrodon MMOAG
• Mounts – Planewave Ascension 200
• Cameras
  • Apogee U16M
  • Apogee U8300
  • Guiding – SBIG STi
• Automated Focus/Rotator
  • Planewave IRF90 Integrated Focuser/Rotator
• Filters – Astrodon Gen II (LRGB, Ha, Oiii, Sii)
• Automation Control – ACP, MaximDL, PinPoint, Planewave STI/PWI, FocusMax, M1Oasys Roof Control
• Image Processing Software - CCDStack, Photoshop CS4/5, PixInsight
• Photoshop Plugins
  • FocusMagic
  • Noise Ninja
  • Noel Carboni’s Astronomy Tools
• Advice & Moral Support – A variety of people including Don Goldman, Ken Crawford,  Jay Gabany, Martin Pugh, Bill Snyder, Adam Block, Paul Mortfield, Sandy Barnes, Mel Helm, Keith Quattrocchi and the rest of the SRO crew, but especially Mary Sautter (my partner & best friend)