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A. E. Lanz (U. Wisconsin)
Telescopes are the primary tool astronomers use to gather data, specifically images of the night sky. UCB Leuschner Observatory is a professional telescope in need of new equipment and general maintenance much like an unused vehicle. The result of this amalgam of modernization is a functioning professional-quality telescope capable of cutting edge, publishable research, primarily for student use. The telescope is expected to be fully functional in September 2003, at which time photometric observations of extra-solar planet transits will begin. This project provided unparalleled opportunities for purchasing and installing optics, developing and integrating software, and working with electronic circuitry that is highly unique. This project was an apprenticeship in telescope mechanics invaluable in a world where many astronomers are merely drivers.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: alicia@ugastro.berkeley.edu
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35#5
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.