Online telescopes come in two forms: virtual observatories with existing data and physical telescopes controlled by users. The International Virtual Observatory Alliance collects and standardizes existing data for research. Microsoft® WorldWide Telescope offers a virtual planetarium, while other services offer live observations or direct control of remote telescopes for a fee. Some observatories accept requests for specific observations, with on-site personnel forwarding photographic results and data to users.
An online telescope is an astronomy tool that usually takes one of two forms. In the first, the observations made previously are collected in a database accessible online. In the second, physical telescopes are made available for observing on demand or are directly controlled by online users. The collection of existing data and images is usually referred to as a virtual telescope or observatory. The online interface with a physical telescope is often referred to as an Internet telescope.
The International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA) is made up of 19 member observatories from around the world. The goal of the organization and its members is to collect and collate existing data, put it into a standardized format, and make it available for online research. Decades of astronomical observations with various multi-wavelength devices are pooled for data mining. This information is stored in a central database that can be accessed via the Internet.
In a less research-oriented format, services like the Microsoft® WorldWide Telescope offer a type of online planetarium telescope. Tours of the astronomical bodies and in-depth instruction using high-resolution photography are offered. Such services typically provide an interface that allows users considerable freedom in their explorations. The night sky from anywhere on earth at any time in the past or future can be recreated. The virtual space traveler can select his own itinerary to visit the objects of greatest interest.
A more practical online telescope is offered by services that make live observations from home a reality. An online telescope offers access to a predetermined schedule of observations made by telescopes in various countries. The images are transmitted in real time and are accessible to anyone with Internet connectivity.
Selection of what to observe and direct control of a remote telescope is also made available on the Internet. This is for the more advanced observer and requires some degree of technical training before the controls are handed over to the user. This service is usually chargeable unless you are affiliated with the observatory or university that owns the telescope.
As a compromise, the serious amateur might consider those observers who accept requests for specific observations. On-site personnel maintain direct control of the telescope while fulfilling third-party observing requests. The photographic results and pertinent data, such as weather conditions, are forwarded to the end user, often digitally in real time. This is, in fact, the normal procedure which involves the use of highly advanced systems. The professional astronomer relies on a dedicated support staff experienced in using the device.
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