Emphasis on Quality

Sierra Stars Observatory Network is in business to deliver high-quality astronomical imaging data to each and every customer. We designed our service to make it easy and flexible for you to schedule images or series of images on any of the telescopes in our network. We apply calibration frames (bias, thermal, and flat fields) to each raw image and deliver your image data to your personal SSON FTP directory in the form of fully calibrated FITS files. Your images are ready for you to download shortly after the completion of each observing run.

Easy to Use Browser-based Online Scheduling

Scheduling images on SSON is easy and straightforward to do using our online scheduling form, which you can access from any web browser connected to the Internet. No software is required. Using the scheduling form you can select stationary or moving objects (asteroids and comets) to image from dozens of astronomical object catalogs containing hundreds of thousands of objects. Alternately you can specify right ascension (RA) and declination (DEC) coordinates to point telescopes to any part of the sky you want to explore.

Scheduling images on SSON is easy and straightforward to do using our online scheduling form, which you can access from any web browser connected to the Internet. No software is required. Using the scheduling form you can select stationary or moving objects (asteroids and comets) to image from dozens of astronomical object catalogs containing hundreds of thousands of objects. Alternately you can specify right ascension (RA) and declination (DEC) coordinates to point telescopes to any part of the sky you want to explore.

Comprehensive Account Management System

Your SSON account includes comprehensive account management tools. These tools enable you to:

• Create Affiliate accounts, which are subaccounts under your main SSON account. You can create an Affiliate account for any user registered with SSON and delete them whenever you choose. You can allocate credits from your main account to any of your Affiliates.
  
• Manage credits within your main account and your Affiliate accounts.
  
• Review your pending and completed schedules and information about the images delivered.
  
• Review your SSON credit history and usage.

Our Commitment to Quality

We guarantee that you receive high-quality image data. If an image is corrupted due to weather (cloud cover) or equipment failure, your account is not charged for the time used.

SSON optimizes observing requests to schedule your images as close to the meridian as practical for a given observing session. You can also schedule images for specific times during an observing run.

The data you acquire belongs to you and is strictly confidential for use as you choose. Our only request is that if you publish a paper using data acquired with the Sierra Stars Observatory that you cite this fact in your paper.

For complete information on how to schedule observing time, see our SSON Operations Guide  and the Frequently Asked Questions sections of our web site.

The Sierra Stars Observatory Network Advantage

SSON offers a level of freedom and affordability not available elsewhere for your convenience. SSON advantages include:

• Flexibility of observatory access at your convenience and discretion.
• Costs are for actual imaging time only.
• No equipment or travel expenses.
• No on-site or maintenance issues.
• Your data are available to you immediately after observing runs.