Re: Pay for time Internet base Telescopes?

SPAMtrap_at_Starry-Nite.net
Date: 01/31/05 

Date: 30 Jan 2005 20:11:16 -0800

themeanies wrote on Jan 30th '05:
>"Are there any 'pay for time' Internet based Telescopes?

YES! I am very fond of SLOOH.com! They have two dark-sky
observatories set up in the Canary islands, where many of the large
European scopes are set up. Since SLOOH is in the Canaries, I can take
advantage of the 5 hour time shift, so that I'm looking at dark skies
at my desk as early as 3pm local. (You didn't say where you are, so I
don't know how that would work for you.)

SLOOH has cooperation agreements with Astronomy Magazine (and others),
and is working on something with a big media company (I am not at
liberty to discuss that, yet). The technology is top-notch, and is in
fact something that SLOOH has patented.

I'm very impressed with how they've got their act together. Very
professional.

FULL DISCLOSURE: In addition to being a SLOOH member, I am also a
volunteer. SLOOH has a nightly internet radio program; I co-host the
Friday night "Event Horizon" broadcast (8-10pm EST / 1-3am UT). Other
SLOOH Radio shows are hosted by David Levy, Bob Berman, Phil
Harrington, Michael Narlock, and other great folks (here is the
schedule: http://www.slooh.com/radio.html ). We have three chat rooms
open during our radio shows, where folks can present their questions
directly to some of the best minds in astronomy (and to me, too - I
will let you be the judge as to whether I belong in this esteemed
group!).

[While I am NOT a SLOOH employee, I am pretty involved; your milage may
vary.]

In addition to unlimited access to group missions, a membership also
allows you to schedule solo time at one of the domes (each dome is
equiped with two scopes, riding piggyback, for wide angle and hi-mag
views; there is also a slick all-sky camera set up). In your solo, you
can choose targets off a list, or you can select your own targets by
entering RA & Dec. You can take any number of images, which are saved
on SLOOH's servers for your later enjoyment. You can then save your
images to your local machine with just a right-click.

We have one group of folks who are into searching for the dimmest
possible galaxies - they claim that they are hitting 19th magnitude
(How Low Can They Go?). Another guy (in Belgium) is seriously into
searching for supernovas - he has tagged 7 or 8, I think. I've enjoyed
interacting with one guy who is a Canadian working for an Austrian
company in Tokyo. A person in Texas is into observing variable stars.

SLOOH calls it the World-wide Star Party!

Personally, I am looking forward to a software upgrade that is just
down the road, which will make SLOOH data available in the FITS
astronomical file format. (I'm into exoplanets, and look forward to
scheduling scope time on SLOOH to further my research on exo-transits.)

We also have tons of people who just like the perty pictures!

You can make your own judgement as to the value of the service. SLOOH
offers a 7-day risk-free trial. Also, if you are an Astronomy Magazine
subscriber, you can link to SLOOH from Astronomy.com for 15 minutes of
free viewing every night at 9pm EST.

A monthly membership, with unlimited group missions, and including 5
minutes of solo mission time, is $7.95 per month.

The basic membership, with unlimited group missions, and including 15
minutes of solo mission time, is $49.95 per year.

The deluxe membership, with unlimited group missions, and including 90
minutes of solo mission time, is $99.95 annually.

Less than the cost of a basic eyepiece!

I don't get observatory time as often as I would like, and where I live
(U.S. Midwest) clouds are a constant problem. SLOOH is a great way for
me to get my "star fix".

Come pay us a visit, and see if SLOOH will work for you!

*****
~May you have clear skies & a star to steer by! ¤(Michael) Scott¤

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