Colorado Allsky Network

Chris Peterson started developing computerized, guided mounts in the late 1970s. His astronomical interests follow two paths: instrumentation and analytical imaging. On the instrumentation front, he has designed or consulted in the design of a number of mount controllers. Very early on he became interested in aspects of remote observation, and has worked with methods of accessing astronomical instrumentation over local and wide area networks. He has also developed numerous CCD and CMOS cameras, both for imaging and for guiding, and developed guiding systems currently used on space-based platforms. Imaging interests include photometry of eclipsing binaries and fast rotators, as well as video analysis of occultations. Chris has a BS in Applied Physics from the California Institute of Technology. He owned a California company for many years which designed and built ophthalmological surgical instruments. He is currently an independent consultant, and a Research Associate at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. He operates a network of allsky cameras which collect meteor and fireball data over Colorado and the surrounding states. He lives in the tiny town of Guffey, Colorado, with his wife Louise and their assortment of animals. When not working in his observatory or analyzing data, he might be found hiking or riding in the local mountains.