The photo of the Crab Nebula was taken the night of Jan. 15 by the Faulkes two-meter (78-inch) diameter telescope on top of the Haleakela volcano in Maui, Hawaii. But the 27 amateur astronomers who took it were thousands of miles away, ensconced in Bob Moore's office in Salt Lake City, controlling the 'scope through an Internet link.Briefly, some background. As noted by Nightly News on Dec.

27 the Faulkes Telescope North is part of the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, a British private foundation hosting telescopes around the world for scientific research and research-based education.

Founded by British philanthropist Dill Faulkes, the observatories are dedicated to bringing high-quality astronomy to British school children. Because the Faulkes telescope is on Maui, 10 percent of its use is earmarked to research and outreach by the University of Hawaii. The Salt Lake Astronomical Society is involved because of its own extensive outreach and education programs and its deep interest in the Maui project.