Description
We are working on a project named Internet Telescope Project (ITP,
https://www.kitp.org/). The purposes of our project are the development of Internet Telescopes (ITs) and the spread of astronomical education using them.
ITs are small telescopes with cameras that are operated by a browser user interface via the Internet and are available for free. We installed them at various locations in Japan and other countries. It means that "anyone" can observe the night sky from "anywhere" and at "any time".
We report the development of a new system for our ITs using the INDI Library, an open-source software for controlling astronomical equipment. The new system allows us to install various telescopes and cameras more easily than the previous one and makes it easier to set up ITs. We introduce the ITP schoolwork bank. This is a web-based system for preparing and releasing instructional plans for the use of ITs in school science classes, and it is also available for free. By sharing this bank with school teachers, we aim to develop it into more user-friendly instructional plans for various educational settings. We also report recent outreach activities using ITs. Although many science events were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, we exhibited ITs at some events face-to-face or remotely.
