The Internet Telescope: Remote Observing for the City Astronomy Class

Abstract

The Latin School of Chicago is a college preparatory day school that involves its students in a number of astronomy initiatives. Here we report on our high school students’ use of the New Mexico Skies Internet telescope. Using a Web browser, our astronomy students are able to control a Celestron C-14 coupled with a CCD camera to image deep sky objects. In Chicago, using the Internet telescope teaches students how to request time on a shared instrument and how to plan an observing program, and it provides many varied independent study project and classroom options. Students use this instrument during our spring astronomy project week trip, when they travel to live and work at the New Mexico Skies Guest Observatory to learn observational astronomy, remote observing, and CCD imaging. Other remote observing programs that provide similar options are referenced, some with different or multiple instruments, some with limited access, and some with open access. Sample student images taken with the New Mexico Skies Internet telescope are included.