SkyMapper is creating a new way to watch the sky by building a global network of small telescopes and wide-angle sky cameras. These tools are placed in many locations around the world and work together to track what’s happening both in space and in Earth’s atmosphere.

The goal is to make it easier to spot important events, like space rocks passing close to Earth, brightening comets, or flashes of light in the sky. In one recent example, the network helped track a rare comet that came from outside our solar system. It can also help scientists learn more about the size and shape of asteroids by watching them pass in front of stars.

In addition to space, SkyMapper also looks at what’s happening above us on Earth. Its cameras can monitor changes in the sky, like the northern lights, lightning, cloud cover, and even how bright city lights are at night.

By connecting all these observations, SkyMapper helps scientists—and anyone with curiosity—better understand our place in space and what’s happening in the skies above. This project brings people and technology together to make sky watching more powerful, more global, and more accessible to all.