Building an Automated Telescope with High Photometric Accuracy

The NFO WebScope is a Web-based observatory which has been in use since 2004 December. The telescope is an 0.6 m Group 128 Cassegrain reflector with a new drive and control system. By optical modifications and appropriate image treatment, we have been able to reach a differential photometric accuracy of about 0.005 mag per observation in work on eclipsing binary stars. In addition, middle school, high school, college, graduate students, and public school teachers use this telescope to conduct their astronomical research projects under a NASA IDEAS grant.