[ASA] Call for Observing Proposals for Antarctic Survey Telescopes (AST3-2)

[Kate Gunn]

Call for Observing Proposals for Antarctic Survey Telescopes (AST3-2)

Dear Colleagues

The Antarctica Survey Telescopes (AST3‐2) is ready for observations for the 2017 Austral winter season. This is a call for observing proposals.

AST3‐2 is a 50cm telescope located at Dome A, Antarctica. It is equipped with a 5Kx10K camera with 1”/pixel. It is capable of reaching g = 19.5 mag (S/N =5) in an exposure time of 2 minutes, but only g‐band observation is supported right now.

There are two unique capabilities of AST3‐2:
* AST3‐2 can provide continuous time‐domain data lasting months.
* AST3-2 employs a frame transfer readout scheme without a mechanical shutter, and allows for high frequency photometry of bright stars at a sampling frequency as high as 1kHz.

The two key programs for 2017 are an exoplanet search in the TESS field, and a high cadence transients search program.

Please contact CCAA staff Syed Ashraf Uddin
(saushuvo at gmail.com) at PMO if you are interested in using AST3‐2 telescope.

The proposal should include the following:
* a brief science justification (<300 words);
* a description of observations (<300 words);
* a target list
* a description of exposures and cadence

Raw data will become available only around April 2018, but preliminary analysis can be done remotely.

Please note however that AST3-2 consortium follows collaboration rules similar to that of the SDSS survey, and non-member collaborators may need to identify collaborators in the AST3-2 consortium, and follow all AST3-2 publication rules.

With best regards,
Ji Yang, Director
Purple Mountain Observatory

The AST3 Consortium consists of the following institutes:
* China: Purple Mountain Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of China, Polar Research Institute
of China, Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics Technology, Qinghua University, Nanjing University,
Beijing Normal University, Tianjing Normal University, and Tianjing University.
* Australia: University of New South Wales, Swinburne University, Australia Astronomical Observatory
* USA: Texas A&M University

Funding for AST3 project is also provided by the following founding agencies:
* China: National Science Foundation of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Science and
Technology of China
* Australia: Astronomy Australia Limited, Australia Research Council; ACAMAR


KATE GUNN | Chief Operating Officer
CAASTRO | School of Physics  | Faculty of Science |
ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics

Rm 356 Building A28 | School of Physics

The University of Sydney | NSW | 2006
T +61 2 9351 2893 | M +61 411 466 080
Email kate.gunn at sydney.edu.au<mailto:kate.gunn at sydney.edu.au>  W  http:// www.caastro.org<http://www.caastro.org>

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