We are thrilled to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Open University (OU) for being honored with the prestigious 2023 Queen’s Anniversary Prize. This esteemed accolade recognizes the OU’s innovative OpenSTEM Labs initiative, a cornerstone of their online distance learning offerings that enables students worldwide to engage in experimental work remotely, 24/7. The OpenSTEM Labs cover a wide array of subjects, from computing and health to astronomy, providing an inclusive and flexible learning environment.
At the heart of this initiative are two robotic observatories located at the Observatorio del Teide on the island of Tenerife: the COmpletely Autonomous Service Telescope (COAST) and the Physics Innovations Robotic Telescope Explorer (PIRATE). These facilities play a crucial role in OU’s teaching and research efforts, contributing to the study of variable sources, exoplanets, and near-earth asteroids.
Sybilla Technologies is proud to support the OU and the OpenSTEM Labs initiative. Both the COAST and PIRATE observatories are equipped with state-of-the-art PlaneWave Corrected Dall-Kirkham (CDK) optical telescopes, mounted on 10Micron GM4000 German Equatorial mounts and housed within Baader AllSky domes. These advanced instruments, complete with FLI CCD cameras, filterwheels, and Baader filters, are accessible remotely to students. This accessibility is made possible through our ABOT software, which facilitates real-time operation and fully autonomous queue scheduling of the telescopes.
The Queen’s Anniversary Prize is the highest national honor in UK Higher Education, awarded biennially to institutions that demonstrate world-class excellence and achievement. We are honored to be part of this journey with the Open University, contributing to the global advancement of STEM education through technological innovation and support.
Learn more: https://www.baader-planetarium.com/en/blog/queens-anniversary-prize-award-for-the-open-university-uk/