Amateur astronomers who do not have a telescope capable of peering deep into space can now use NASA telescopes remotely via its MicroObservatory network.
Using the space agency’s Observing with NASA site, users can choose from a list of targets and receive a photograph of it almost immediately via email.
According to NASA, The Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the Harvard College Observatory and the Whipple Observatory all work to maintain the network, which consists of telescopes measuring three feet tall and equipped with 6-inch mirrors to catch the light reflecting from space.
When they capture the light, it is recorded by an electronic chip that converts it to a photograph that can be sent online.
Each of the telescopes can be operated remotely and do not require a human operator. They are capable of viewing the moon, the Orion Nebula or nearby planets and are even powerful enough to snap a picture of other galaxies.
