Telescope over the Internet

Telescope over the Internet
Santhanagobalan Vasanth, Sivapalan Sugirthan
Department of Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering
University of Moratuwa
Moratuwa, Sri Lanka [e-mail], [e-mail]

Abstract- This paper describes the design and implementation of a fully automated Telescope that can be controlled over the internet. Telescope over the Internet is novel in the aspect that it will be the first telescope constructed in Sri Lanka which can be accessed over the internet and download real time images of any celestial object. It covers a novel and a cost effective technique, which provides a magnificent resolution and accuracy. Prevailing online telescopes tend to be very expensive and are restricted to only a small segment of population for access. So the prime intension of this system is to develop a cost effective technique to construct an online telescope. Users will be able to enter the celestial coordinates of any celestial object to the web interface and download realtime CCD images over the internet from the system. The earth synchronous motor system fixed to the base of the telescope allows it to focus on the celestial object for a long period of time despite earth’s rotation. The web interface developed for the SBIG CCD ST-7 camera allows the user to access the camera over the internet, select an exposure time and download good resolution images of the objects. Features such as web based CCD image acquisition, earth synchronous drive,
RA/Dec to HA/Dec celestial coordinate’s conversion modules add value for the product. This system provides great business opportunities to produce online telescopes in a comprehensively inexpensive cost with further enhancements
Keywords: Online Telescope, Celestial coordinate conversion, web CCD control

I.

INTRODUCTION

Astronomy has been an unpopular, yet an emerging field of study in Sri Lanka. Since Sri Lanka is the south most land mass in the

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