Remote Control Astronomy

The Faulkes Telescope Project and Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope have joined forces to create a global network of robotic telescopes.

Photo courtesy of the Faulkes Telescope Project and Nik Szymanek Remote control telescope: Faulkes Telescope North (FTN) is controlled by users in the UK via a web site.

On the summit of an enormous dormant volcano on the island of Maui sits the world's largest entirely robotic telescope. Standing eight meters high, Faulkes Telescope North (FTN) is situated next to the University of Hawaii Observatory on Haleakala mountain and uses a novel clamshell enclosure to protect it from adverse weather - or open fully for complete exposure to the night sky. But what makes this telescope really special is that it's robotic: it can be controlled live by users all the way on the other side of the world in the UK. Using a simple web site, high quality images from the telescope can be obtained within minutes.

Completion of this telescope marked the beginning of the Faulkes Telescope Project, which aims to promote science and inspire schoolchildren using real astronomy. The Project launched in March 2004, with £10 million of funding from the Dill Faulkes Educational Trust, established by business entrepreneur Dr. Martin "Dill" Faulkes. In addition to the live website telescope interface, the project provides user support and free teacher training, together with a comprehensive education programme targeting UK secondary schools. Operations are set to double imminently when the Hawaiian telescope is joined by its twin at the Siding Spring Observatory site in New South Wales, Australia (FTS). This new telescope will open up the southern hemisphere skies, and allow UK operations into the early evening.