AAVSOnet is the AAVSO's robotic telescope network. It is composed of 10 telescopes; 4 Faint Star Monitors (FSMs) that are 20-24inch aperture, and 6 Bright Star Monitors (BSMs) that are 4-7 inch aperture. You can find out more about the network at
https://www.aavso.org/aavsonet
This network is a free membership benefit. You can request time easily, and get fully calibrated images (bias/dark subtracted, flat-fielded) sent to your VPHOT account or to anonymous ftp. The proposal form is simple.
AAVSOnet is a great resource for learning how to do CCD imaging, to monitor stars that get too faint for your own equipment, to observe in the opposite hemisphere from where you live, to participate in Alert Notice campaigns, etc.
Please consider submitting a proposal now!
Arne
I have a basic presentation on AAVSONet and how to use it. PM me and I'll send it to you! I and others can help you through your first proposal.
In 4 years I've received images and submitted over 17,000 observations solely using AAVSONet.
Its a great system and for me, costs less than using my own observatory.
Peter
BPEC
Hi Peter,
Yes, I am interested, This looks as a good alternative when long stretch of bad weather makes my observatory useless.
Damien
I sent it to you…
Damien,
I sent it to you an hour ago.
Not only is it a good backup to your observatory, the larger instruments may increase your ability to observe fainter objects and the system locations may give you the ability to observe stars you can't see from your site.
Peter
I'm also interested. May you send me your presentation?
Thanks
Gianfranco
Having had a look at the AAVSOnet proposal writing process, it seems to me that projects such as exoplanet transits are unsuitable for AAVSOnet. Some transits could take all night.
Or perhaps, there is some better way to approach this task.
Cheers; Paul
Presently I believe…
Paul,
Presently I believe there would need to be something "compelling" to for AAVSONet to do one. Each clear night a given telescope may observe 20 - 100 different stars for various users.
That said, I'm just a user myself. The TAC committee makes those decisions. FAR above my paygrade.
If your need is for an educational institution/use, there may be other systems available?? PM me if that's the case.
Peter
BPEC
Hi Paul,
We've done exoplanets before, as well as eclipsing binaries. We've also done time series of a target in support of HST projects. Because the ACP Expert Scheduler used by AAVSOnet is optimized for snapshot photometry, most of the projects only spend a few minutes at each field, and as Peter says, we can obtain observations for dozens of targets per night that way. That said, time series observations of a single target on one night by one observer are often accommodated. On the other hand, if one observer wants to do exoplanet time series every night for, say, TESS followup, then it does impact the other researchers wanting to use the telescope. So if you need lots of time (more than a night or two), you should justify your use. We've thought about dedicating one BSM to only doing time series, which might be a way to satisfy everyone!
Arne