Why Are We Doing This?
What is the problem we are trying to solve for our customers?
First and foremost,the Earth's ATMOSPHERE has ALWAYS challenge do observational, imaging, and scientific astronomy from the ground
There are four fundamental obstacles one encounters when when practicing earthbound astronomy:
- The Sunlight of Daytime hours*
- Cloud Cover (Clear Skies!')
- Seeing
- Light Pollution
Sunlight/Daytime
For roughly 50% of every 24 period here on earth:
- The daylight precludes astro observation and imaging (except solar)
Looking at Hours of Day Light for Different Latitudes:
- Fairbanks Alaska, a northern city but still south of 66.5 gets 22 hours daylight in summer
- Cerro Paranal, Chile, home to the VLT, receives 13.5 hours of daylight at summer solstice
- Queenstown, New2ealand, which is north of 66.5 south, receives 15 hours at summer
There are a total 8,766 hours in a year (avg. in thaleap year). Of this total:
- Fairbanks gets 4,797 hours of astronomical darkness or 54% of the year to do astro.
- Cerro Paranal gets 3,797 hours of astronomical darkness. 43% of the year to do astro
- Queenstown gets —4,297 hours of astronomical darkness or 49% of the year to do astro
Clear Skies? Where?
75 % of the earth experiences LESS THAN 250 clear nights per year — that's FOUR MONTHS each year that astronomy is not possible even for solar imagers
At any Single point in.time 67% of the planet is covered in clouds - and no optics based astronomy is possible (Not even Solar)
Who is OK with this?
