Antarctic Sky Survey: Data Reduction and Preliminary Results
Analysis
This paper details the data reduction pipeline and initial results from the Antarctic TianMu Staring Observation Program, a time-domain optical sky survey. The project leverages the unique observing conditions of Antarctica for high-cadence sky surveys. The paper's significance lies in demonstrating the feasibility and performance of the prototype telescope, providing valuable data products (reduced images and a photometric catalog) and establishing a baseline for future research in time-domain astronomy. The successful deployment and operation of the telescope in a challenging environment like Antarctica is a key achievement.
Key Takeaways
- •Successfully deployed and operated an 18-cm aperture telescope at Zhongshan Station in Antarctica.
- •Developed a data processing pipeline for the Antarctic TianMu project.
- •Released 2023 data products including reduced images and a photometric catalog.
- •Achieved astrometric precision better than 2 arcseconds.
- •Reached a G-band detection limit of 15.00 mag for 30-second exposures.
“The astrometric precision is better than approximately 2 arcseconds, and the detection limit in the G-band is achieved at 15.00~mag for a 30-second exposure.”