CESAR (Cooperation through Education in Science and Astronomy Research), an ESA-INTA-Isdefe’s joint educational project using astronomical and radio astronomical remote and robotic observatories, achieved first light with its Cebreros Optical Telescope (CEOT). The event took place late in August.
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ESA Deep Space Antenna and CESAR optical observatory view. CESAR
The 50cm cassegrain reflector telescope, located at ESA’s Cebreros Deep Space Ground Station, operates autonomously without real-time human supervision. It is devoted to astrometric and photometric astronomical observations for systematic research in several fields: photometric detection of extrasolar planets, supernovae discovery, photometric follow-up of solar-type stars, and astrometry of near-Earth objects (NEOs). To this purpose, the telescopes are equipped with CCD cameras for direct imaging, and photometric wide and medium-band filters.
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First Light from this observatory. In the photo: Triangulum Galaxy or M33 (click to enlarge). CESAR Team
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Ring Nebula (M57) view in blue filter (click to enlarge). CESAR Team