This section is currently written for the two 2.0m Faulkes Telescopes. It will be updated as more telescopes come online.
There are two ways to use the LCOGT telescopes: the RTI (Real Time Interface) and submitting a request for an observation to be taken automatically by a telescope.
- The RTI demo, developed by the Faulkes Telescope Team, is an interactive website that takes you step-by-step through the RTI and teaches you how it works.
- The offline request system is not yet available.
It is important when using a telescope, that you choose an appropriate exposure time for the object you plan to view. Too long an exposure time for the object will saturate the CCD and cause ghosting or even permanent damage. Too short an exposure time will make your object appear too faint.
Approximate recommended exposure times for a 2 meter telescope are given below:
| Object Type | Lower Limit (seconds) |
Usual Exposure Range (seconds) |
Better Images (seconds) |
| Galaxy |
30s |
60s |
120+s |
| Nebula |
30s |
60s |
120+s |
| Star Cluster |
2-5s |
5-30s |
Ask for advice |
| Planetary Nebula |
10-20s |
30-40s |
Ask for advice |
| Asteroids |
Mag. < 10: Avoid Imaging Mag. 10-13: 20s Mag. 14-16: 30s Mag. 16-18: 60s Mag. 18-20: 90s Mag > 20: please ask for advice as other factors may influence your observation |
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| Planets | May not be observed with the 2 meter telescopes. As the educational network comes online we will update this section. |
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