6 ms·

it would be great if there was a way to crowdsource telescopes and I could throw something on my roof or out my window that could somehow be part of a global ne

by fosco 8y ago

it would be great if there was a way to crowdsource telescopes and I could throw something on my roof or out my window that could somehow be part of a global network to watch things and making findings as a community. I dream of a day when research is paramount and our government budgets reflect that to further science for the sake of science If I win the lottery I want to hook a mini-observatory to my tv in my house and look around space through my tv with some sort of custom controller.

maxxxxx 8y ago
There are astronomy clubs that have telescopes somewhere that can be accessed by internet and are shared. They don't call themselves crowdfunded but they are.
mimming 8y ago
That’s starting to be the case. Check out https://projectpanoptes.org https://projectpanoptes.org It’s network of ~$5000 exoplanet robotic survey telescopes. There’s also https://skynet.unc.edu/ https://skynet.unc.edu/ which is aimed at larger scopes.
ghostDancer 8y ago
It's not a telescope you can have at home but you can buy and gift telescope time. https://www.itelescope.net/ https://www.itelescope.net/
orbital-decay 8y ago
Some telescope networks like Slooh [1] are essentially crowdfunded, and offer remote access on a per-hour basis. There are also telescope hosting services out there, SpaceOBS [2] being an example located in Atacama (probably the best observing conditions available for an amateur), and iTelescope [3] in the Siding Spring Observatory. [1] https://www.slooh.com/ https://www.slooh.com/ [2] http://www.spaceobs.com/ http://www.spaceobs.com/ [3] http://hosting.itelescope.net/ http://hosting.itelescope.net/
privong 8y ago
> I could throw something on my roof or out my window that could somehow be part of a global network to watch things and making findings as a community. In addition to the other items people have mentioned, the Center for Backyard Astrophysics is a network of small observatories (most operated by serious amateurs) that assembles light curves (brightness as a function of time) for various types of stars and stellar binaries. It's not a fully automated system, but presumably you could set up a robotically operated telescope to assist with their programs. https://cbastro.org/ https://cbastro.org/
melling 8y ago
I’ve always wanted to see space exploration paid for with ad dollars. Let’s beam back images from the solar system in 4k 24/7 as part of the next Voyager type missions. The profits could be used to pay for new missions.
- orbital-decay 8y ago
  The problem with "Voyager type" missions is that the next launch window will be available in 2150s.
  - labster 8y ago
    Hopefully the SLS rocket will be working by then.
- gmiller123456 8y ago
  The view from Voyager doesn't change very fast, so no need for video. NASA does stream live video from the ISS [1], not very exciting when they're on the dark side of the Earth (just a black image). No ad revenue though, I guess real life space isn't as interesting to as many people as people in a pawn shop reading from scripts. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mSgb-gWjy0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mSgb-gWjy0
  - melling 8y ago
    I was thinking more like parking them in orbit around each planet. A couple of new Mars rovers, etc.
- tobylane 8y ago
  They fix the hardware, which needs to be hardened, a long time before launch. The capability to do something wouldn't happen in the same decade people call it blurry but passable.
- SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
  Despite all the horrifying implications (NASA suddenly being directly funded by big oil), I want this just to give the Flat Earth Society a chance to advertise.
gmiller123456 8y ago
The American Association of Variable Star Observers is always looking for more people to observe different variable stars. Their website has a lot of very approachable tutorials on how to get started [1]. [1] https://www.aavso.org/ https://www.aavso.org/

by fosco 8y ago

maxxxxx 8y ago

There are astronomy clubs that have telescopes somewhere that can be accessed by internet and are shared. They don't call themselves crowdfunded but they are.

mimming 8y ago

That’s starting to be the case. Check out https://projectpanoptes.org https://projectpanoptes.org It’s network of ~$5000 exoplanet robotic survey telescopes. There’s also https://skynet.unc.edu/ https://skynet.unc.edu/ which is aimed at larger scopes.

ghostDancer 8y ago

It's not a telescope you can have at home but you can buy and gift telescope time. https://www.itelescope.net/ https://www.itelescope.net/

orbital-decay 8y ago

Some telescope networks like Slooh [1] are essentially crowdfunded, and offer remote access on a per-hour basis. There are also telescope hosting services out there, SpaceOBS [2] being an example located in Atacama (probably the best observing conditions available for an amateur), and iTelescope [3] in the Siding Spring Observatory. [1] https://www.slooh.com/ https://www.slooh.com/ [2] http://www.spaceobs.com/ http://www.spaceobs.com/ [3] http://hosting.itelescope.net/ http://hosting.itelescope.net/

privong 8y ago

> I could throw something on my roof or out my window that could somehow be part of a global network to watch things and making findings as a community. In addition to the other items people have mentioned, the Center for Backyard Astrophysics is a network of small observatories (most operated by serious amateurs) that assembles light curves (brightness as a function of time) for various types of stars and stellar binaries. It's not a fully automated system, but presumably you could set up a robotically operated telescope to assist with their programs. https://cbastro.org/ https://cbastro.org/

melling 8y ago

I’ve always wanted to see space exploration paid for with ad dollars. Let’s beam back images from the solar system in 4k 24/7 as part of the next Voyager type missions. The profits could be used to pay for new missions.

orbital-decay 8y ago
The problem with "Voyager type" missions is that the next launch window will be available in 2150s.
- labster 8y ago
  Hopefully the SLS rocket will be working by then.
gmiller123456 8y ago
The view from Voyager doesn't change very fast, so no need for video. NASA does stream live video from the ISS [1], not very exciting when they're on the dark side of the Earth (just a black image). No ad revenue though, I guess real life space isn't as interesting to as many people as people in a pawn shop reading from scripts. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mSgb-gWjy0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mSgb-gWjy0
- melling 8y ago
  I was thinking more like parking them in orbit around each planet. A couple of new Mars rovers, etc.
tobylane 8y ago
They fix the hardware, which needs to be hardened, a long time before launch. The capability to do something wouldn't happen in the same decade people call it blurry but passable.
SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
Despite all the horrifying implications (NASA suddenly being directly funded by big oil), I want this just to give the Flat Earth Society a chance to advertise.

gmiller123456 8y ago

The American Association of Variable Star Observers is always looking for more people to observe different variable stars. Their website has a lot of very approachable tutorials on how to get started [1]. [1] https://www.aavso.org/ https://www.aavso.org/