Observing with the Faulkes Telescopes

The Faulkes Telescope Project has been providing a unique resource to UK schools and amateur astronomers since 2004 - live access to two 2-metre robotic telescopes, equipped with research-grade astronomical instruments, and located at professional observatory sites in Maui, Hawaii (FT North) and Siding Spring, Australia (FT South). A telescope in each hemisphere provides all-sky coverage, and future plans will allow access to a truly global network, through the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope.This presentation will cover some of the educational and research highlights from the past seven years, and (weather permitting) will include live observing with one of the telescopes. Funded by the Dill Faulkes Educational Trust, the telescopes are freely available for use by UK educational groups and astronomical societies. Collaborations with leading amateur astronomers and university researchers ensure high-quality research and educational programmes.

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About Paul Roche

Dr Paul Roche is Director of the Faulkes Telescopes Project, the UK National Schools’ Astronomer (funded by the STFC research council), and now revels in the title of “Space Ambassador for Wales” (funded by ESA and the Department for Education). He has just established a new Astronomy Education Centre at the University of Glamorgan, where the Faulkes Telescope Project is now located. He still dabbles in research in X-ray binaries and massive stars, but his current roles involve promoting educational and research uses for Internet-based telescopes, and developing better links between amateur astronomers, researchers and schools.

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