NEOSTEL

[1][2][3] NEOSTEL is a project founded by the European Space Agency (ESA), starting with an initial prototype currently under construction at OHB in Italy.

The design combines a single objective reflector with multiple sets of optics and CCDs, giving a very wide field of view (around 45 deg2, or 220 times the area of the full moon).

When complete it will have one of the widest fields of view of any telescope and be able to survey the majority of the visible sky in a single night.

Astrographs were developed in the 19th century where a photographic plate, or later a CCD, records the image, which a human observer can then view.

[5][10] NEOSTEL's detection capabilities and the quality of service it requires (in particular, the use of a fast slewing equatorial mount) mean that a standard telescope dome and observatory design will not be sufficient.