The SPIRIT telescopes and observatories have evolved over the past decade, and are now permanently located at Mardella, south of Perth.

The observatory currently hosts a 1 metre telescope (SPIRIT 6) and three smaller telescopes (SPIRIT 2, SPIRIT 3 & SPIRIT 4).

The original SPIRIT 1 telescope is no longer in operation,  though there are plans to replace it in the future.

	SPIRIT 2	SPIRIT 3	SPIRIT 4	SPIRIT 6
Brand and model	Planewave Instruments CDK-17	Planewave Instruments CDK-12.5	Planewave Instruments CDK-12.5	Planewave Instruments CDK-1000
Size	43cm	32cm	32cm	1m
Imaging Camera	Fingerlakes Instruments Proline PL16801	FLI Proline 16803	SBIG STX-16803	Fingerlakes Instruments Kepler KAF-4320 CCD
Available filters	Clear, Red, Green. Blue, B, V, R	Clear, Red, Green, Blue, H-a	Clear, Red, Green, Blue, H-a, B, V	Clear, Red, Green, Blue, H-a, B, V
Field of View	40 arcminutes	50 arcminutes	50 arcminutes	28 arcminutes
Native resolution	0.63 arcseconds per pixel	0.7 arcseconds per pixel	0.7 arcseconds per pixel	0.83 arcseconds per pixel
Operating resolution	1.2 – 1.8 arcseconds per pixel	1.4 arcseconds per pixel	1.4 arcseconds per pixel	0.83 arcseconds per pixel

(Note, Binning is used on some of the telescopes – refer to the “operating resolution” not “native resolution” when planning.)

All SPIRIT cameras incorporate thermoelectrically cooled camera housings and non anti-blooming (NABG) CCD sensors (except SPIRIT 3 and 4 which utilise anti-blooming CCDs).

All cameras include filterwheels containing a variety of photographic and photometric filters.

Accurate target positioning and tracking with the smaller SPIRIT telescopes is achieved using the Paramount robotic telescope mount utilising advanced periodic error correction, pointing and tracking algorithms. As a consequence, the instruments do not use auto-guiders. Limiting magnitude is constrained by varying sky conditions, with a practical exposure limit of 300 seconds. Even so, astrometric observations of minor planets approaching magnitude 19.5 are routinely undertaken with even the smaller SPIRIT telescopes using ‘stacking’ techniques.

SPIRIT 6 is a Alt/Az mounted telescope and utilises the very latest state-of-the-art direct drive technology from Planewave Instruments.

The automated roll-off observatory at Mardella includes full automated weather monitoring.

Daily telescope functioning includes highly automated ‘dusk until dawn’ operations. Year-round remote access to the telescopes is provided 7 days a week (weather dependent) excluding maintenance periods and staff leave.

All daily operations have been fully automated including CCD Camera initialisation (cooling), pre-dusk roof opening and pre-dawn  shutdown procedures.

Flat field frames are acquired automatically at dusk (weather dependent) using pre-defined positions and timing through all filters with bin modes dependent on the telescope. Fresh bias and dark frames are also acquired periodically. Master calibration frames are created from several sub frames to ensure high quality image calibration for both scientific and astrophotographic applications. Images are calibrated automatically as part of the acquisition process.

Using SPIRIT

SPIRIT telescopes are accessed by students and teachers using a web-enabled interface. Imaging commences at the end of astronomical twilight, nominally a sun angle of -12°.

Differing modes of operation provide a number ways to use the SPIRIT telescopes. The default mode of operation utilises a sophisticated dispatch scheduling system that automatically acquires images from user created requests. The telescopes can also be configured as real time live observing instruments for special interactive use scenarios. Requests and operations are undertaken an monitored using the same web-based interface for all telescopes.

The web interface includes access to catalogue databases for Messier, NGC, PGC and IC objects as well as the major planets by name. This permits novice users to specify targets without knowledge of the celestial coordinates system. In a similar way, minor planet ephemerides are calculated by the system at the time of imaging for numbered minor planets. Celestial coordinates can be specified in the interface for all other targets.

Each image is provided in two formats to cater for a wide range of requirements:

• a fully calibrated FITS image;
• a high resolution JPEG image.

Images and log files can be accessed and downloaded directly using FTP.

Need more information?

Access to SPIRIT is provided free to authorised teachers, students and researchers according to the information and processes provided elsewhere on this web site. The  SPIRIT initiative incorporates a full life-cycle of teacher and student professional learning opportunities and activities delivered via the outreach program at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research. Contact us below for further information.

Information about teacher and student workshops can be found here.

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