See Live Images NOW! The Comet of the Century, Comet Holmes, C/2007 17P as Captured from the RAS Observatory in New Mexico
Fountain Valley, CA (PRWEB) November 18, 2007 -- Billed as the comet of our century, Comet Holmes puts on a spectacular display. See it for free and almost live as images are downloaded from the GRAS Global Network Telescopes.
A free service of the GRAS Global Telescope Network http://www.global-rent-a-scope.com/ .
http://www.global-rent-a-scope.com/LiveImages/
The RAS (Remote Astronomical Society) Observatory, announced today that a membership program is now available to amateur astronomers (for more information please follow the link). This exciting program is designed to provide amateur astronomers with similar remote observing facilities currently only enjoyed by professional astronomers. An added attraction to the 10 sophisticated telescope systems mounted on Paramount robotic mounts is their access to the pristine dark skies of New Mexico, USA, Australia and Israel.
Equipped with sensitive chilled detectors, some of these systems have been used to discover asteroids that were fainter than 20th magnitude. Every clear night (normally about 250 nights a year), hundreds of CCD (Charged Coupled Devices) images are captured under the direction and control of both individual and groups of observers operating the RAS telescopes from computers located all over the globe. At the end of each exposure, the images are downloaded from the cameras (also referred to as detectors), compressed and transferred to strategically located, high-speed servers. The researchers then connect to the high-speed servers via the internet and retrieve their science data.
Professional astronomers have many resources available to them provided by universities and other research facilities funded in part by grants. Now amateur astronomers will also be able to participate in a similar fashion and at reasonably inexpensive rates. The RAS Observatory has negotiated a special arrangement with Global-Rent-a-scope, (www.global-rent-a-scope.com an internet access robotic telescope time rental service) to provide observing resources to members of the RAS Observatory (www.ras-observatory.org) at special research rates.
In a technical vein some of the instruments are equipped with special filters and sensitive detectors that are typically beyond the financial means of many amateurs. By joining the RAS Observatory members can engage in some very specific types of research.
Here are some of the additional benefits available to members of the RAS Observatory:
? A support system for amateur astronomers to participate in scientific research
? Educational resources
? Assistance in developing meaningful projects
? Assistance in presenting findings and document research results
? Submission of papers
? Coordination of research projects
? Subsidizing research projects
? A platform to permit researchers to present work
? Recognition to researchers for achievements
? Coordinate amateur projects with professional projects
? Coordinate collaborative projects
? Completive projects to help develop skills
The RAS Observatory provides an environment where collaborative research will be coordinated through web meeting resources. At the moment this technology is under study.
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