6th of August 2019 |
---|
ATNF Colloquium |
Citizen Science Astronomy with the Unistellar Network: From Planetary Defense to Exoplanet Transits |
Franck Marchis (Unistellar/SETI Institute) |
Abstract:
Unistellar is reinventing popular astronomy
with the Enhanced Vision Telescope: a combination of optics,
electronics, and proprietary image-processing technology to make
astronomy easy, fun and interactive. In partnership with the SETI
Institute, the company will build the largest network of telescopes
capable of observing the sky 24/7 from everywhere on this
planet. Unistellar's Enhanced Vision Telescope is the first telescope
that accumulates light so the user can finally see hundreds of faint
astronomical objects in all their shapes and colors live through its
lens. Because classical high end telescopes only allow the user to see
the four main planets, this technology will radically transform
amateur astronomy. Relying on its on-board computer, the telescope
also recognizes the observed area and can guide and inform the user in
real time.
Thanks to its sensitivity, the eVscope is a powerful tool capable of generating data that can be used by scientists to search for transient events like supernovae, near-earth asteroids, and comets. Because of the larger field of regard provided by a constellation of small, smart telescopes, our network could provide additional data to the few existing large telescopes. Unistellar initiated a partnership with the SETI Institute to identify and develop scientific applications for our network of telescopes. We will summarize the technology behind the telescope and its real-time data processing, then show several recent observations, including asteroid occultations, transit of exoplanets why are accessible to the users. Finally, we will discuss Unistellar network's potential to make citizen astronomy a reality by offering all users (newbie or experienced) a tool to explore the night sky with a powerful and reliable instrument while they contribute to scientific investigations. |