About Return Void
Our Mission
To inspire the next generation of explorers by making the night sky accessible to everyone
What is Return Void?
Return Void is a project founded by Thomas Loupe to educate children and young adults on space exploration and technology. What started as a way for anyone to view the cosmos by sharing a telescope live on stream has grown into an interactive community where visitors choose what they see, learn about the universe in real time, and leave with a deeper appreciation for the night sky.
Every night the telescope is live, viewers take control. They vote on celestial targets, watch the telescope slew across the sky, and see deep-sky objects build up frame by frame. No prior knowledge is needed. No expensive equipment. Just curiosity and a screen.
The Telescope
Vaonis Vespera II
- Type Smart automated telescope
- Location South Alabama, USA
- Sky Quality Bortle 3-4
- Elevation 107m
- Streaming Live to Twitch via OBS
How It Works
- Tune in to the live Twitch stream
- Viewers vote on the next celestial target using
!vote(subscribers get 2x voting power) - The telescope automatically slews to the winning target
- Watch the deep-sky object build up in real time
- After 10 minutes, voting opens for the next target
Why It Matters
Accessibility
Light pollution, geography, and cost keep most people from ever seeing the night sky clearly. Return Void removes those barriers entirely.
Education
Every stream is a hands-on astronomy lesson. Viewers learn about nebulae, galaxies, star clusters, and planets through direct observation.
Community
Astronomy is better together. Viewers discuss what they see, share knowledge, and collectively decide where the telescope points next.
Get Involved
Watch the stream, support the mission, or just look up.