Network owned scopes
CHEAP TELESCOPES FOR NETWORK-OWNED NODES¶
Here's a breakdown of what you can deploy at your own strategic sites:
Tier 1: Ultra-Budget (~$2,000-5,000 per site)¶
For gap-filling coverage in developing countries or remote locations:
| Component | Example | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Telescope | Sky-Watcher 8" Dobsonian converted to EQ | ~$500 |
| Mount | Used EQ6-R or HEQ5 | ~$800-1200 |
| Camera | ZWO ASI294MM or ASI533 | ~$700-1000 |
| Filter wheel + BVRI | ZWO EFW + Baader filters | ~$400 |
| Computer | Raspberry Pi 4 + SSD | ~$150 |
| Enclosure | DIY roll-off roof or clamshell | ~$500-1000 |
Limiting magnitude: V~16 in 60 seconds
Best for: Long-term monitoring, transit follow-up, variable star work
Tier 2: Workhorse (~$10,000-20,000 per site)¶
For serious photometric work:
| Component | Example | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Telescope | Celestron EdgeHD 11" or PlaneWave CDK12.5 | ~$4,000-8,000 |
| Mount | iOptron CEM70 or Sky-Watcher EQ8-R | ~$3,000-4,000 |
| Camera | ZWO ASI6200MM Pro | ~$2,500 |
| Filter wheel + filters | LRGB + Photometric BVRI | ~$1,000 |
| Focuser | Moonlite or ZWO EAF | ~$300 |
| Computer + power | Mini PC + UPS | ~$500 |
| Enclosure | NexDome or DIY | ~$2,000-4,000 |
Limiting magnitude: V~18 in 60 seconds
Best for: Exoplanet characterisation, faint transient follow-up, occultations
Tier 3: Reference Station (~$40,000-80,000 per site)¶
For one or two flagship sites that anchor the network:
| Component | Example | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Telescope | PlaneWave CDK17 or Officina Stellare RiDK 400 | ~$15,000-25,000 |
| Mount | ASA DDM100 ($105,000) or PlaneWave L-350 | ~$15,000-25,000 |
| Camera | Large-format cooled CMOS (QHY600) | ~$3,000-5,000 |
| Instrumentation | Spectrograph option | ~$5,000-15,000 |
| Full automation | Weather station, cloud sensor, dome | ~$5,000-10,000 |
Limiting magnitude: V~20+ in 60 seconds
Best for: Spectroscopy, faint source photometry, calibration reference
Where to Host Telescopes¶
Dark sky hosting services:
- New Mexico Skies: ~$200-400/month per pier
- Sierra Remote Observatories: ~$250-500/month
- Deep Sky Chile: ~$300-500/month
- IC Astronomy (Spain): ~€200-400/month
Partnership opportunities:
- University teaching observatories (many are underused)
- Amateur astronomical society observatories
- Science museums with rooftop access
- Schools in dark sky regions
Security cameras -- High fps, cheap, high qe, fast lens Custom electronic / moving sensor based tracking Using moving sensor + RK Equations to predict orbits and hence scanning multiple ssa orbits at once