A Global Robotic Telescope Network for Time-Domain Science
Abstract
Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT) is currently building a new kind of general-purpose astronomical facility: a fully robotic network of telescopes of 2m, 1m and 0.4m apertures and homogeneous instrumentation. A pan-network approach to scheduling (rather than per individual telescope) offers redundancy in the event of poor weather or technical failure, as well as the ability to observe a target around the clock. Here we describe the network design and instrumentation under development, together with the main science
programmes already being lead by LCOGT staff.
Street, Rachel A. | Lister, Tim A. | Tsapras, Yiannis | Shporer, Avi | Bianco, Federica B. | Fulton, Benjamin J. | Howell, D. Andrew | Dilday, Ben | Graham, Melissa | Sand, David J. | Parrent, Jerod | Brown, Timothy M. | Horne, Keith D. | Dominik, Martin | Browne, P. | Snodgrass, Colin | Kains, Noé | Bramich, Dan | Law, Nicholas M. | Steele, Ian A.
LCOGT | Queen Mary College | University of St. Andrews | Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research | ESO | University of Toronto | Astrophysics Research Institute
Book Title
New Horizons in Time-Domain Astronomy. Proceedings IAU Symposium No. 285, 2011
