Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope

Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope

The Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope dome
Alternative names	KAIT
Part of	Lick Observatory
Location(s)	Santa Clara County, California, Pacific States Region
Coordinates	37°20′36″N 121°38′05″W / 37.343344°N 121.634822°W / 37.343344; -121.634822
First light	1996
Telescope style	optical telescope
Diameter	76 cm (2 ft 6 in)
Website	www.ucolick.org/public/telescopes/kait.html,%20https://www.ucolick.org/main/science/telescopes/kait.html
Location of Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope
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The Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope (KAIT) is an automated telescope used in the search for supernovae.

The telescope had a first light in 1998, and is a noted robotic telescope.^[1] It had first recorded data in August 1996, and was formally dedicated late that year.^[2] It was used for the Lick Observatory Supernova Search.^[2]

The KAIT is a computer-controlled reflecting telescope with a 76 cm mirror and a CCD camera to take pictures. It is located at the Lick Observatory near San Jose, California.

KAIT can take close to 100 images per hour and observe about 1000 galaxies a night.

The Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope is a robotic telescope designed to look for supernova.^[2] The telescope uses 76 cm (30 inch) diameter mirror that feeds a CCD imager with 20 slot filter wheel.^[2] The telescope is also supported by an electronic weather station, that can feed data to the robotic telescope control system.^[2] Several computers run software that controls the telescope and take in the data from the sensors.^[2]

The telescope's development was funded by the NSF at private donors since 1989, turning 30-inch (~760 mm) telescope in a computer controlled super nova huntress.^[3] The telescope can also monitor the brightness of variable stars.^[3]