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Where on Earth is Our Network?

Dec 21, 2010

The LCOGT network will consist of at least 6 sites, including Haleakala, Maui and Siding Spring, Australia where the two Faulkes Telescopes reside. The other confirmed network sites are in Chile on Cerro Tololo (CTIO), South Africa near Sutherland (SAAO), Texas at McDonald Observatory, and Tenerife in the Canary Islands (TO). When completed, each site will have two or three 1-meter telescopes and between two and four 0.4-meter telescopes.

Maui and Siding Spring:
Plans are being discussed for installing more telescopes next to the Faulkes Telescopes. We hope to have agreements soon so we can start initial foundation work.

CTIO:
The initial site work for the foundations is finished and is awaiting 1-meter domes and Aqawans. Soon to follow will be one 1-meter telescopes and a pair of 0.4-meter telescopes, which will be ready to go around March 2011.

SAAO:
The final inspection has been completed of the foundation work and things are looking good. Deployment of one 1-meter telescope and pair of 0.4-meter telescopes will follow CTIO, probably around mid-2011.

McDonald:
Discussions and planning of site design have begun. Site prep work is aimed to be completed by mid-2011.

TO:
Preliminary site design is being completed by a Tenerife engineering company. Site prep work is aimed to be completed by mid-2011.

Other potential sites include Northern China and Western Australia, both of which require more data before we make a decision.