CASE STUDIES

NARIT 

Thai Robotic Telescope (TRT) Network

Located at Latitude 5—20 degrees north, astronomical telescopes in Thailand has inherently limited access to the southern hemisphere. Reaching out to the fascinating targets in the south, such as the Galactic Center, the Magellanic Clouds, and virtually the other half of the sky requires deploying facilities in the Southern Hemisphere.
Likewise, the observing season in Thailand is largely governed by the two monsoon seasons, with consistently clear sky months being only around October - April of each year. Remote facilities to take advantage of some of the best observing sites in the world, hence, has the potential to serve as an insurance that we have at least one open eye on the sky at any given time. When multiple observatories are available at the same time across the globe, they can further join forces to provide continuous monitoring of an object without a temporal gap.
For these reasons, NARIT deployed off-the-shelf robotic telescopes, supplied by PlaneWave Instrument, of 0.6 - 0.7-meter in diameters in four continents. The control software, developed by NARIT, automatically schedules observing requests on the first possible telescope that matches observing requirements. This network aims at facilitating astronomical researches and astronomy education and outreach in both hemispheres — at any moment. 
The TRT network consists of five telescopes, including 
the SROF.  Additionally, we host a dedicated 43-cm telescope with astrophotographic CCD (i.e., a large-format anti-blooming CCD) to support NARIT's education and public outreach campaign.

ROSE-HULMAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Oakley Souther Sky Observatory (OSSO)

Known as the "Australian Cousin" to their on-campus facility in Terre Haute, Indiana, the Oakley Southern Sky Observatory, commenced operation in 2007, with a single 20-inch Richey-Chretien telescope in a roll-off roof building in New South Wales, Australia.
The site was chosen for its clear, dark skies and location in the southern hemisphere.
In conjunction with their on-campus observatory, the Southern Sky Observatory gives Rose-Hulman students and faculty nearly 24-hour access to astronomical events in the northern and southern hemispheres. This has enabled students to identify new asteroids, measure asteroid rotation periods and conduct research in variable star photometry searching for supernovae and comets.
The facility was recently upgraded to include a 20" Planewave CDK and upgraded Paramount II ME, creating a platform for future academic excellence.