The Colibri Telescope Array is an array of three high-cadence optical telescopes designed to detect Kuiper Belt Objects, Trans-Neptunian Objects, and exoplanets through stellar occultations. 

The array operates from Elginfield Observatory located in Granton, Ontario, Canada and maintained in association with Western University.

Colibri is a three-telescope array built to catch millisecond-long stellar occultations. Each 50-cm telescope uses a fast f/3 optical system and a high-speed sCMOS camera, allowing light curves recorded at ~40 FPS across a wide field.

Absolute timing synchronization coupled with the 110–160 m spacing between telescopes allows for confirmation of true events and the rejection of others due to atmospheric scintillation. 

• Three 0.5-m telescopes in a triangular layout (110–160 m baselines)

• Fast optics (f/3) + wide, well-corrected field for dense star fields

• High-speed cameras (25 ms exposures, >40 fps) with per-frame time stamps

• Robotic domes & weather monitoring for safe, autonomous operation

• Custom pipeline detects diffractive dips and requires coincident signals across the array
  
  

Key specs: 1.43° × 1.43° field, ~2.5″/pixel (2×2 binning), G≈12–12.5 at SNR≈5 in 25 ms; plate solutions ≲0.6″ rms.

Colibri is maintained by researchers at Western University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration (Western Space) in London, Ontario.

The project is led by Dr. Stanimir Metchev and supported by a dedicated group who operate the telescope systems and data analysis pipelines.

The team’s work spans observatory operations, optical instrumentation, software development, and data science.