A next generation upgraded observing platform for the automated Birmingham Solar Oscillations Network (BiSON)

Abstract

The Birmingham Solar Oscillations Network (BiSON) is a collection of ground-based automated telescopes observing oscillations of the Sun. The network has been operating since the early 1990s. We present development work on a prototype next generation observation platform, BiSON:NG, based almost entirely on inexpensive off-the-shelf components, and where the footprint is reduced to a size that can be inexpensively installed on the roof of an existing building. Continuous development is essential in ensuring that automated networks such as BiSON are well placed to observe the next solar cycle and beyond.