Contribute to real research.
Small telescopes still make real discoveries possible. Time an exoplanet crossing its star, follow a variable star, add to datasets that professional astronomers use. Celestarray gives you the telescope; you send the results to the science projects.
Where your data can go.
NASA Exoplanet Watch
Observe planets passing in front of their stars to refine their orbits, so big telescopes like Hubble and JWST don't miss them. Small telescopes are enough; results go to the AAVSO Exoplanet Database, and volunteers are credited on the first paper that uses their observations.
NASA: about Exoplanet Watch ↗Variable stars (AAVSO)
Stars that change brightness, from pulsating giants to eclipsing pairs, need long, regular monitoring. The American Association of Variable Star Observers collects amateur measurements used in professional research.
Visit the AAVSO ↗Class and club research projects
Planning a student research project or a club campaign? We'll help you choose telescopes, schedule repeat observations and organise the data.
Talk to usA science run on Celestarray.
- Find the event: a transit's start and end time, or your variable star's best hours
- Use the Planner to pick a telescope where the target is high and the sky is dark
- Book enough time to cover the event plus some baseline before and after
- In your capture plan, ask for a long series of short exposures, and say it's a science run in the notes
- Download the FITS files, analyse them (e.g. with NASA's free EXOTIC software), and submit your results
Tips for good data
- Choose a telescope with a mono camera and a known pixel scale
- Keep the target well above 30° for the whole event
- Avoid nights when the Moon is close to your target
- Ask the host to keep the same filter and settings throughout
Tell us what you'd like to observe.
Not sure which telescope suits your target, or how long to book? Send us the details and we'll help you plan it.