We're very pleased to announce that the new LightBuckets wide-field observatory (LB-0003) is now online and operational. The observatory houses a Takahashi TOA-150 triplet ortho apochromat refractor on a Paramount ME german equatorial mount.

The native focal length and speed of the TOA-150 have been reduced by the Takahashi Super Reducer, taking the instrument from 1100mm f/7.33 to 825mm f/5.6.

For imaging, the telescope has an Apogee Alta U16M camera, which employs a 4K x 4K ABG sensor with a 9µ x 9µ pixel size. This combination yields a field of view of 150 x 150 arcminutes and an image scale of 2.25 arcseconds per pixel at 1x1 binning.

Sitting in front of the camera is an Apogee 7 position filter wheel containing a full compliment of AstroDon filters including LRGB, Ha, SII, and OIII.

For focusing the system uses a Technical Innovations RoboFocus and for instrument rotation there is an AstroDon Takometer on board.

The guide system on LB-0003 consists of an AstroDon Monster MOAG off-axis guider along with a SBIG ST-402 guide camera. This system eliminates any issues with flexure as well as problems that might arise finding guide stars through narrowband filters using on-axis guiding.

Protecting all of this equipment is a 12' AstroHaven clamshell dome. Rental rates for LB-0003 start at 100 points per hour with additional Moon and scheduling discounts.

More images of LB-0003 are available in the LightBuckets Gallery and we also have a video tour of LB-0003. We hope you enjoy this latest addition to the LightBuckets Telescope Network, we think you'll love it.