ABSTRACT
In the beginning, film cameras were operated with a mechanical cable release and later, as electronic cameras evolved, using an electronic release or intervalometer. With the introduction of USB communications, more sophisticated computer control became possible including full remote control. The advent of digital SLRs refined the interface further and make image download a possibility too. The same evolutionary forces play out across many other astronomy devices and, with the advent of the Internet, remote control from virtually anywhere is not only a possibility but a reality for many astronomers. Without automation, however, all of this control still requires human monitoring and intervention and little sleep.
