"SuperWASP has a novel optical design comprising up to eight scientific cameras, each resembling in operation a household digital camera, and collectively attached to a conventional telescope mount, " said Dr Pollacco.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Northern Ireland | Scientists seek unknown planets

Together with an amateur astronomer friend from California, Mandel has traveled to Australia and set up a high-powered telescope, mount and CCD camera in Lee's own backyard observatory, which they've dubbed the Australian-American Imaging Station.

FORBES: A Star Is Born

By analyzing measurements of 1207 RR Lyrae stars taken by the Catalina Mount Lemmon Telescope in Tucson, the team was able to observe dramatic brightness variations in these stars, taking place over periods as short as half a day.

FORBES: Astronomers Confirm Milky Way's Most Distant Stellar Stream

To mitigate the effects of such pollution, Mandel used to drag his gear, including a 30-pound telescope, 75-pound mount and two 20-pound marine batteries, to remote desert or mountain locations.

FORBES: A Star Is Born

MOA-2007-BLG-192Lb was found with the new MOA-II telescope at New Zealand's Mount John Observatory.

BBC: Tiniest extrasolar planet found