THE BERKELEY AUTOMATIC IMAGING TELESCOPE

We describe the design and control system of the Berkeley Automatic Imaging Telescope (BAIT), an observatory that performs all its tasks with minimal human intervention. We concentrate on the system's software, especially that which communicates with astronomers at remote sites and that which schedules targets during the night. BAIT has been in nearly continuous operation since January, 1992; we present an analysis of its performance during its first eight months.