Puckett Observatory · Georgia, USA · Est. 1994
Hunting the universe’s brightest explosions from a homemade telescope
The Puckett Observatory is a private research facility owned and operated by amateur astronomer Tim Puckett. Dedicated to the discovery of supernovae and the study of comets, it is home to the Puckett Observatory World Supernova Search — a volunteer team of amateur astronomers spanning more than twenty countries.
60cm robotic reflector — built by hand, 1988–1997
The Search
A team of amateurs, discovering real astronomy
Tim is the sponsor and primary investigator of the Puckett Observatory World Supernova Search. Since 1998, a dedicated team of volunteer astronomers has scanned images from robotic telescopes in Georgia, Arizona, and Osoyoos, British Columbia — discovering over 380 supernovae along the way. No one pays to participate, and no one rents telescope time.
A telescope built entirely by hand
Long before it ever saw first light, the 60cm reflector was raw steel on a lathe. Tim machined, welded, and fabricated the entire fork-mounted telescope himself over nine years — from the RA/DEC axes to the observatory dome that houses it today.
Read the build story
Discoveries powered by a worldwide network
Every clear night, robotic telescopes image thousands of galaxies. Team members from Italy to Wisconsin to British Columbia comb through the data each day — and their discoveries have reshaped how astronomers understand rare classes of stellar explosion.
Meet the teamA New Class of Explosion
Type Iax Supernovae
This rare class currently has 25 known members — and the Puckett Observatory Supernova Search has discovered seven of them, more than any other search program in the world.
POSS Type Iax Discoveries
- SN 2008ha
- SN 2008ae
- SN 2007J
- SN 2006hn
- SN 2005cc
- SN 2003gq
- SN 2002bp
Have a question about the search, the telescope, or joining the team?
Tim reads every message himself — from fellow amateur astronomers, students, media, and curious sky-watchers alike.