PhotonStar project

Monte Ross; Stuart A. Kingsley

doi:10.1117/12.435385

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3 August 2001 PhotonStar project

Monte Ross, Stuart A. Kingsley

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Proceedings Volume 4273, The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) in the Optical Spectrum III; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.435385
Event: Photonics West 2001 - LASE, 2001, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

The PhotonStar SETI project is an enterprise to detect extraterrestrial laser signals that involves many individual small telescopes acting together as a geographically diverse large array which together comprise a large collection area, thereby, offering a better chance of detection if signals exist. Widely separated small telescopes, each with a sensitive photon detection capability, can be aimed simultaneously at the same star system with precise timing that enables looking at the same time for short pulse detection. Each individual telescope can be located via GPS so that the differential distance from the star compared to every other telescope can be determined beforehand. Coordination via the Internet would enable each telescope to operate as one element of the array. This project allows direct public participation by amateur astronomers into the search for extraterrestrial intelligence as there are thousands of telescopes of eight inches or greater in use, so that the total collection area can be very substantial with public participation. In this way, each telescope is part of a larger array with data being sent via the Internet to a central station. This approach is only feasible now with the advent of GPS, the Internet, and relatively low- cost single photon detector technology.

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Monte Ross and Stuart A. Kingsley "PhotonStar project", Proc. SPIE 4273, The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) in the Optical Spectrum III, (3 August 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.435385

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