LCOGT are expanding the number of telescopes in the network. As you know we currently have the two 2m telescopes, Faulkes Telescope North and Faulkes Telescope South. These will be added to over the next 18 months by 24 x 0.4m telescopes.

The plans have not been finalised but as of last week, there will be 6 sites across the globe, each having a cluster of 4 telescopes, with a common roll-off roof. The high accuracy mount is being designed and manufactured in the LCOGT Santa Barbara facility. Each telescope will be a f/8 0.4m Meade equipped with a science grade CCD camera , 12 filters, autoguider and an auxillary high resolution imager for planets and lunar features.

Although each telescope is independently mounted, the LCOGT software will permit simultaneous imaging in up to four colours.

The first prototype has been run from the SBA HQ car park, and has produced some surprisingly good images!

The first cluster will be deployed near the FTS site in Australia, in early 2008, where there is an existing 0.35 m facility. A second cluster is planned for deployment on top of the support building at FTN on Maui. Clusters are also planned for Chile and South Africa.

The software provided will be based on the same system used to run all LCOGT telescopes. Obvservations can be conducted in real time, or queue scheduled ("off-line mode.") The current RTI will be replaced with a 'control panel' that is a proper subset of the same system LCOGT astronomers will use. As current UK schools users qualify as skilled observers, LCOGT will enable more capabilities. For example, time series exposures will be supported. Another capability will be to start an observation and have it automatically migrate to another site. In this mode an observing script will be submitted to 'the global telescope.' The network will then use its best efforts to acquire data.

The intention is to move some of the general education projects over to this small telescope network, which are more suitable. There will still be time available to schools on the 2m telescopes, but it will be managed more strictly, with schools submitting observing proposals to use 2m time.

It is an exciting time for this educational network!