A remotely controlled telescope, operated through the Internet is offering young astronomers a unique chance to navigate through the stars and have the pictures to prove it.

Charles Sturt University will this week launch the CSU Remote Telescope Project, Australia's first remotely controlled telescope via the Internet and a pilot education program for Years 5 and 6 primary school students.

The program allows students in Australia and anywhere in the world to navigate the southern sky and photograph the stars and solar system without leaving their home or school computer. The telescope is located in Bathurst, NSW.

The project has been initiated by CSU Associate Professor Dr David McKinnon, who is also coordinator of the Cosmology course for distinction level NSW HSC students.

Through a schedule coordinated by Dr McKinnon and each school, students are allocated time on the telescope. There they can find solar system objects, position the telescope and using the electronic CCD cameras mounted on the structure, capture digital images through their web browser.

Astronomer in Charge at the Anglo-Australian Observatory in Coonabarabran, Dr Fred Watson will officially launch the project at CSU's Bathurst Campus this Wednesday 24 May in a function at The Grange at 5pm. "In my experience kids have an insatiable thirst for knowledge about astronomy and I welcome this project so enthusiastically because it allows them to get involved in science in a really hands on way.

"We know that science still doesn't really have a high profile with school students and we so often end up losing many gifted students at University level because of this. Hopefully projects like this will encourage young people not just to think of a career in science but at least to have an interest that carries through their lives," he said.