Mount Wilson, California, home of the 100-inch Hooker telescope, has been the site of more major astronomical discoveries than any other observatory in the world. It is here that Edwin Hubble theorized the "Big Bang." The Mount Wilson Institute is now giving elementary and high school students a way to reach out and touch the stars via modem, direct from their classrooms, through the Telescopes In Education (TIE) program.
Using off-the-shelf hardware and software, a 24-inch telescope at the Mount Wilson observatory allows students to locate and track thousands of astronomical objects. Students select an object using THE SKY remote astronomy software on their PC. The telescope then positions itself to point at the object and track it by compensating for the earth's rotation. A digital video camera attached to the telescope's eyepiece takes electronic snapshots of these objects and sends them to the classroom computer.
To access the telescope, schools need a Windows PC, a 9600 bps modem, and THE SKY software. All that remains is to schedule viewing time on the 24-inch telescope. Contact: Melanie Melton, Assistant Director, TIE, Box 24, Mt. Wilson, CA 91023, +1 (818) 395 7579, fax +1 (818) 395 7689.
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