Remote Skygems Observatories
Control top-notch observatories around the world straight from your browser
World-class optics and hardware
20" AG iDK
- 20" AG Optical iDK, focal length of 3420mm
- Planewave L-500 mount
- FLI Proline 16803 CCD with rotator
- Filters: LRGB, Ha7 OIII SII
- FOV: 37' x 37'
- Location: Namibia
- MPC: L81
- Seeing: Usually around 1.5" FWHM, range: 1.1" to 2.2"
- SQM: Down to 22 (!)
- Limiting Altitude: Variable between 15° and 22°
New: ASA H8 Hyperbolic
- ASA H8 f2.9 Hyperbolic, focal length of 592mm
- ASA DDM60 mount
- QHY 600M
- Filters: LRGB, Ha7 OIII
- FOV: 3° 25' x 2° 17', angle +271°
- Location: Namibia
- MPC: L81
- Seeing: Usually around 1.5" FWHM, range: 1.1" to 2.2"
- SQM: Down to 22 (!)
- Limiting Altitude: Variable between 15° and 22°
Planewave CDK500
- Planewave CDK20, focal length of 3450mm
- Planewave L-500 mount mounted in a private dome
- FLI Proline 16803 CCD
- Filters: LRGB, Ha OIII SII plus photometric R, EXO and NearIR
- FOV: 37' x 37', angle +0°
- Location: Spain
- MPC: Z28
- Seeing: Usually around 1.3" FWHM, range: 1.0" to 2.2"
- SQM: Down to 21.85
- Limiting Altitude: Variable between 8° and 12°
Veloce 200 RH
- Officina Stellare Veloce 200 RH, focal length of 600mm
- ASA DDM60 mount
- SBIG STF-8300M
- Filters: LRGB, Ha7
- FOV: 1° 42' x 1° 17', angle +180°
- Location: Spain
- MPC: Z28
- Seeing: Usually around 1.5" FWHM, range: 1.0" to 2.2"
- SQM: Down to 21.85
- Limiting Altitude: Around 33°
New: Officina Stellare Pro RC 360
- Officina Stellare Pro RC 360, focal length of 3072mm
- Astro Physics GTO 1200 mount
- FLI Proline 16803 CCD
- Filters: Currentlyy LRGB and Ha5, O3, S2. Will upgrade to BVR photometrics,
- FOV: 40' x 40', angle 0°
- Location: Namibia
- MPC: L81
- Seeing: Usually around 1.5" FWHM, range: 1.1" to 2.2"
- SQM: Down to 22 (!)
- Limiting Altitude: Variable between 15° and 22°
Coming soon: FSQ106 ED
- Takahashi FSQ106 ED, focal length of 530mm
- ASA DDM60 Pro mount
- SBIG STF-8300M
- Filters: LRGB, Ha, O3, S2 (Astrodon)
- FOV: 1° 56' x 1° 27', angle 0°
- Location: Namibia
- MPC: L81
- Seeing: Usually around 1.5" FWHM, range: 1.1" to 2.2"
- SQM: Down to 22 (!)
- Limiting Altitude: Variable between 15° and 22°
New: Dream Astrograph 16" f3.7
- Dream Telescopes 16" f3.7, focal length of 1500mm
- Bisque Paramount mount
- FLI Proline 16803 CCD
- Filters: LRGB, Ha
- FOV: 1° 41' x 1° 41', angle 0°
- Location: New Mexico, USA
- MPC: V22
- Seeing: Usually around 1.5" FWHM, range: 1.1" to 2.2"
- SQM: Down to 22 (!)
- Limiting Altitude: Variable between 25° and 35°
Features
Fully automated
The observatories are heavily automated to be able to use the nights as effectively as possible. You simply insert the targets you want to be imaged, and the system will choose the ideal moment to gather your data.
Perfect locations
Our remote telescopes are located in some of the darkest and most pristine locations of the world. Especially in Namibia we enjoy way over 300 clear nights per year with exceptional seeing.
Competitive costs
We are hobby astronomers ourselves and enjoy gathering data, too. We want to share the equipment to help pay for the running costs (like power, hosting costs and maintenance) but not to make profit, so our costs are way lower than other offers on the net.
Latest preview Images
Look here at some real preview images (uncalibrated) made the last days by our internet controlled telescopes.
Price
We do want to give everybody the possibility to use these professional-grade systems.
The rates are per hour of observatory usage, and are calculate down to per-second accuracy. The usage begins when the camera opens the shutter for your frame and ends when it closes. You pay effectively only the exposure time. Nothing for focusing, nothing for slewing :)
| Moon Illumination | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| 0% | 35 € |
| 25% | 31.06 € |
| 50% | 27.13 € |
| 75% | 23.19 € |
| 100% | 19.25 € |
We will adapt the rates in the coming months. These are our Default2020 prices, which will stay in effect for who is subscribing with them now. Early adopters and already subscribed users are enjoying lower rates.
These rates apply for our 20" iDK scope in Namibia. Smaller scopes have lower rates. For dynamic scheduled requests. That means that we choose the best time to execute them. For requests starting at a fixed time we charge an additional 30%.