LightBuckets
Encyclopedia
LightBuckets is a commercial
astronomical observatory located in Rodeo, New Mexico
that rents time on its telescopes to customers around the world via a website
on the Internet
, including amateur
and professional astronomers
. It is an online astronomy platform with live-views, and hosts an image gallery of astronomy images. Recognized scientific uses include the confirmation of supernova
and discovery of asteroids.
Time on the telescopes is sold either by a subscription or pay as you go. The cost of using one of the telescopes in its global network varies depending on the model. Compared to its contemporaries, LightBuckets allows new images of the sky to be observed, as opposed to Microsoft WorldWide Telescope
or Google Sky
, which use stored images. It is more similar to Slooh
, which also allows live-views from telescopes located in places such as Chile and Spain, but is much more advanced and delivers much higher quality image data.
including a 0.61 m (24”) f/8 designated LB-0001 and a 0.37 m (14.5") designated LB-0003 both located at the company's observatory in in Rodeo, New Mexico. This site is recorded as H11 Rodeo by the Minor Planet Center
. LightBuckets also offers a wide-field observatory (LB-0002) in Rodeo, NM which includes a 0.2 m (8") AstroSysteme Austria N8 Newtonian Astrograph. Other instruments are imaging cameras from Apogee Instruments including a high quantum efficiency Alta U42 (LB-0001), a large CCD Alta U16M (LB-0003), and an Alta U8300 (LB-0002). Each camera is equipped with a filter wheel containing a full complement of broadband (LRGB) and narrowband (Ha, SII, and OIII) filters. LB-0001 also offers photometric Johnson/Cousins (from Astrodon) V and Ic filters for researchers.
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
astronomical observatory located in Rodeo, New Mexico
Rodeo, New Mexico
Rodeo, is an unincorporated town in Hidalgo County in the southwestern corner of New Mexico at . It lies less than one mile from the border with Arizona on New Mexico State Highway 80....
that rents time on its telescopes to customers around the world via a website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, including amateur
Amateur astronomy
Amateur astronomy, also called backyard astronomy and stargazing, is a hobby whose participants enjoy watching the night sky , and the plethora of objects found in it, mainly with portable telescopes and binoculars...
and professional astronomers
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
. It is an online astronomy platform with live-views, and hosts an image gallery of astronomy images. Recognized scientific uses include the confirmation of supernova
Supernova
A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
and discovery of asteroids.
Description
LightBuckets was founded in 2007 by Steve Cullen, a former software executive, and the observatories became active on June 12, 2008. In 2011, he returned to the software business, and LightBuckets went through a period of change.Time on the telescopes is sold either by a subscription or pay as you go. The cost of using one of the telescopes in its global network varies depending on the model. Compared to its contemporaries, LightBuckets allows new images of the sky to be observed, as opposed to Microsoft WorldWide Telescope
WorldWide Telescope
The WorldWide Telescope is a computer program created by Microsoft that displays the astronomical sky as maps, the 3D Universe, visualised data sets and animations. It was announced at the TED Conference in Monterey, California in February 2008. Users are able to pan around outer space and zoom as...
or Google Sky
Google Sky
Google Sky is a feature for Google's Google Earth and an online sky/outer space viewer at www.google.com/sky. It was created on August 27, 2007...
, which use stored images. It is more similar to Slooh
Slooh
Slooh is a robotic telescope service that can be viewed live through a web browser with Flash plug-in. It was not the first robotic telescope, but it was the first that offered "live" viewing through a telescope via the web. Other online telescopes traditionally email a picture to the recipient....
, which also allows live-views from telescopes located in places such as Chile and Spain, but is much more advanced and delivers much higher quality image data.
Pre-2011
LightBuckets went through a ownership transition in 2011, resulting in a turn-over in what instruments and sites were available. Before then, LightBuckets instruments included Ritchey-Chrétiens by RC Optical SystemsRC Optical Systems
RC Optical Systems is a high-end American telescope and optics manufacturer that specializes in Ritchey-Chrétien telescopes with hyperbolic mirrors. RC also makes related mounts and systems for the telescopes, with a focus on open and closed carbon fiber trusses for low expansion...
including a 0.61 m (24”) f/8 designated LB-0001 and a 0.37 m (14.5") designated LB-0003 both located at the company's observatory in in Rodeo, New Mexico. This site is recorded as H11 Rodeo by the Minor Planet Center
Minor Planet Center
The Minor Planet Center operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory , which is part of the Center for Astrophysics along with the Harvard College Observatory ....
. LightBuckets also offers a wide-field observatory (LB-0002) in Rodeo, NM which includes a 0.2 m (8") AstroSysteme Austria N8 Newtonian Astrograph. Other instruments are imaging cameras from Apogee Instruments including a high quantum efficiency Alta U42 (LB-0001), a large CCD Alta U16M (LB-0003), and an Alta U8300 (LB-0002). Each camera is equipped with a filter wheel containing a full complement of broadband (LRGB) and narrowband (Ha, SII, and OIII) filters. LB-0001 also offers photometric Johnson/Cousins (from Astrodon) V and Ic filters for researchers.
Activities
- Puckett Observatory Supernova Search discovered supernovaSupernovaA supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
SN 2008gr in IC 1579 which was confirmed using LightBuckets telescopes at Rodeo, New Mexico, USA in 2008.
- By October 2009 LightBuckets LB-0001 in Rodeo, NM had been used to discover at least 17 new asteroids with provisional designations. LightBuckets LB-0001 was recorded as a ".68m f/8 Ritchey-Chrétien" by the Minor Planet CenterMinor Planet CenterThe Minor Planet Center operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory , which is part of the Center for Astrophysics along with the Harvard College Observatory ....
at H11 Rodeo.
- In September 2010, LightBuckets LB-0001 was part of a group of instruments to confirm gamma ray burst (GRB) GRB100901A.
- On May 18th, 2011, LightBuckets announced that it will be ceasing operations in Rodeo, NM in the near future. LightBuckets had imaged for over 4,300 hours, had executed more than 5,400 customer imaging runs, and had over 680 customers.
- A new telescope, LB-0006, a 0.43m (17") 0.43m (17") Dall Kirkham, in France, South Alpen appears on startsite in August 2011.
See also
- AstrophotographyAstrophotographyAstrophotography is a specialized type of photography that entails recording images of astronomical objects and large areas of the night sky. The first photographs of an astronomical object were taken in the 1840s, but it was not until the late 19th century that advances in technology allowed for...
- Kitt Peak Advanced Observing Program
- List of astronomical observatories
- SloohSloohSlooh is a robotic telescope service that can be viewed live through a web browser with Flash plug-in. It was not the first robotic telescope, but it was the first that offered "live" viewing through a telescope via the web. Other online telescopes traditionally email a picture to the recipient....
- Software BisqueSoftware BisqueSoftware Bisque, Inc. is an American company that develops software used in astronomy. It was founded in 1984 by current president and CEO, Stephen Bisque....
- Microsoft WorldWide TelescopeWorldWide TelescopeThe WorldWide Telescope is a computer program created by Microsoft that displays the astronomical sky as maps, the 3D Universe, visualised data sets and animations. It was announced at the TED Conference in Monterey, California in February 2008. Users are able to pan around outer space and zoom as...
External links
- LightBuckets
- LightBuckets opening news release
- LightBuckets group at flickr
- Adding an Extra Room for the Sky - New York Times (article with information about founder Steve Cullen)