Global Jet Watch is an exciting new project which links
astronomers at Oxford
University with schoolchildren around the world in order to carry out
cutting edge research.
Almost a billion billion miles from Earth lies a remarkable nano-quasar
called SS433. This exotic phenomenon fires
oppositely directed jets of hydrogen from near its central black hole at
speeds of over a quarter of the speed of light. These sweep out along an axis
every six months, producing a corkscrew pattern. Keeping a constant watch on
SS433 is impossible for a single observatory, so our sites are spread around
the world to keep the watch going.
Some areas of the website are still under construction, but for now you can
read about our project and find information
about our target, the cosmic corkscrew. Please
contact info@globaljetwatch.net
to register your interest and find out how you could be involved in this
exciting project.
| July 1, 2009: Global Jet Watch First Light |
Details... |
We are very proud to announce that the Australian Global Jet Watch telescope has achieved First Light after final calibrations and testing during the recent installation visit. This is a doubly important event as it marks First Light for the project as a whole as the Australian telescope is the first of the 4 telescopes to be installed and commissioned. Using an SBIG STL-4020 science grade imaging camera on the back of the RC Optical telescope we have been able to obtain images of well-known astronomical objects during the first few nights of observing. We look forward to many more stunning images such as these as well as the commencement of science observations of SS433 with the Australian telescope in the coming weeks.
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| June 11, 2009: Commissioning of the first Global Jet Watch telescope |
Details... |
We are delighted that the installation and testing of the first of the Global Jet Watch network of telescopes is underway. This telescope, manufactured by RC Optical in Arizona, is being commissioned at our Australia school. The picture shows the telescope inside its dome, with protective card and packing still in place for the installation process.
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| March 24, 2009: Dome delivered to site of Indian school |
Details... |
Global Jet Watch construction continues! Earlier this month the latest of our domes was delivered to its new home in India.
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