A next generation remotely operable and robotic telescope.
Our telescope has been developed using the latest technologies for modernising a telescope mount and integrating this with an advanced operating system that students can operate from anywhere on earth – with a laptop or even a cell phone. The telescope has been developed by PlaneWave instruments, who have made dozens of cutting-edge research telescopes around the world. Its advanced motors and control systems allow for very rapid acquisition of targets, and accurate pointing and tracking of the night sky.
Telescope Specs
0.3m CDK Optical Telescope
The CDK14 covers a 70 mm field of view without any field curvature, off-axis coma, or astigmatism. The CDK14 is a lightweight carbon-fiber truss design weighing less than 50lbs, with 3 cooling fans blowing air throughout the back of the telescope.
L-600 Direct Drive Mount
Designed and manufactured by PlaneWave Instruments, the mount operates with zero backlash and zero periodic error, virtually silent motion and slew speeds of up to 50 degrees per second!
Research-Grade Astronomical Camera
Equipped with research-grade FLI camera and a 10-position filter wheel. The camera has a field of view of 47 x 47 arcminutes. Our Plate scale at 1×1 binning is 0.7”/px, and we expect a our sensor will have Quantum Efficiency of over 50% in the mid-optical.
Broad and Narrow Band Optical Filters
The camera is equipped with both broadband and narrow band filters. For broadband: Sloan (griz) filters. For narrow-band, H-alpha, OIII, SII filters.
The Site
Sheep Hills, Soka University of America
Our telescope is located on the edge of our Soka University of America campus, in beautiful Aliso Viejo, CA. The site is next to an expansive county green space, which provides for a relatively dark sky for so near to a major city. The proximity to the Pacific Ocean provides good seeing, but also some marine layer clouds on several days. The map at right shows our location.