bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The STELLA robotic observatory
Authors: Strassmeier K. G. , Granzer T. , Weber M. , Woche M. , Andersen M. I. , Bartus J. , Bauer S.‐M. , Dionies F. , Popow E. , Fechner T. , Hildebrandt G. , Washuettl A. , Ritter A. , Schwope A. , Staude A. , Paschke J. , Stolz P. A. , Serre‐Ricart M. , De La Rosa T. , Arnay R. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractSTELLA is a robotic observatory with two fully automatic telescopes (STELLA‐I and STELLA‐II) located at the Teide Observatory in Tenerife, Spain. Not only the telescopes are automatic but also the entire observatory, no human presence is needed for observing ‐ not even in remote control. STELLA‐I supports a high‐resolution, fiber‐fed and benchmounted echelle spectrograph and a wide‐field CCD imaging photometer while STELLA‐II feeds a similar but wide‐band imaging photometer and a testbed for prototype adaptive optics for robotic telescopes. The first telescope is scheduled for first light in November 2004, the second telescope for March 2005. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
MAGNUM project: four years of operation of the fully automated observatory
Authors: Kobayashi Y. , Yoshii Y. , Minezaki T. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractWe present an overview of the MAGNUM (Multicolor Active Galactic Nuclei Monitoring) project and its current status. The MAGNUM project is designed to carry out long‐term monitoring observations of many AGN in the optical and near‐infrared wavelength regions. For this purpose, we built a 2 m automated telescope as well as a multicolor imaging photometer (MIP)(Kobayashi et al. 1998b). The telescope is located near the Haleakala summit, at a height of 3050 m, within the area of the University of Hawaii's Haleakala Observatory on the Hawaiian Island of Maui. We have been continuously carrying out observations since early 2001 when the preliminary observations were commenced. We have realized a fully automated operation that is suitable for relatively simple and stable observations over a period of several years. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The Multi‐frequency Robotic facility REM: first results
Authors: Covino S. , Zerbi F. M. , Chincarini G. , Rodonó M. , Tosti G. , Antonelli L. A. , Conconi P. , Cutispoto G. , Molinari E. , Nicastro L. , Palazzi Burderi E. , Campana S. , Crimi G. , Danzinger J. , D'Avanzo P. , Di Paola A. , Di Stefano E. , Fernandez‐Soto A. , Filiatre P. , Fiore F. , Fugazza D. , Gentile G. , Goldoni P. , Israel G. , Jordan B. , Lorenzetti D. , Mc Breen B. , Martinetti E. , Mazzoleni R. , Masetti N. , Melandri A. , Messina S. , Meurs E. , Monfardini A. , Nucciarelli G. , Paul J. , Pian E. , Rol E. , Saracco P. , Sardone S. , Stefanon M. , Stella L. , Tagliaferri L. , Testa V. , Vergani S. , Vitali F. , Ward P. , Zaccardo A. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThe REM Observatory, recently installed and commissioned at la Silla Observatory Chile, is the first moderate aperture robotic telescope able to cover simultaneously the visible‐NIR (0.45‐2.3 microns) wavelength range. Due to its very fast pointing and its full robotization REM is conceived for fast transients observation. The high throughput Infrared Camera (REMIR) and the Visible imaging spectrograph (ROSS), simultaneously fed by a dichroic, allow to collect high S/N data in an unprecedented large spectral range on a telescope of this size. The REMobservatory is an example of a versatile and agile facility necessary complement to large telescopes in fields in which rapid response and/or target pre‐screening are necessary. This paper describes the principal Characteristics and operation modes of the REM observatory and gives on overview of the preliminary results obtained during the commissioning phase. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
RAPTOR: Closed‐Loop monitoring of the night sky and the earliest optical detection of GRB 021211
Authors: Vestrand W.T. , Borozdin K. , Casperson D. J. , Fenimore E. , Galassi M. , McGowan K. , Starr D. , White R. R. , Wozniak P. , Wren J. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractLaboratory. RAPTOR is a fully autonomous robotic system that is designed to identify and make follow‐up observations of optical transients with durations as short as one minute. The RAPTOR design is based on Biomimicry of Human Vision. The sky monitor is composed of two identical arrays of telescopes, separated by 38 kilometers, which stereoscopically monitor a field of about 1300 square‐degrees for transients. Both monitoring arrays are carried on rapidly slewing mounts and are composed of an ensemble of wide‐field telescopes clustered around a more powerful narrow‐field telescope called the “fovea” telescope. All telescopes are coupled to real‐time analysis pipelines that identify candidate transients and relay the information to a central decision unit that filters the candidates to find real celestial transients and command a response. When a celestial transient is found, the system can point the fovea telescopes to any position on the sky within five seconds and begin follow‐up observations. RAPTOR also responds to Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) alerts generated by GRB monitoring spacecraft. Here we present RAPTOR observations of GRB 021211 that constitute the earliest detection of optical emission from that event and are the second fastest achieved for any GRB. The detection of bright optical emission from GRB021211, a burst with modest gamma‐ray fluence, indicates that prompt optical emission, detectable with small robotic telescopes, is more common than previously thought. Further, the very fast decline of the optical afterglow from GRB 021211 suggests that some so‐called “optically dark” GRBs were not detected only because of the slow response of the follow‐up telescopes. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The All Sky Automated Survey
Authors: Pojmański G. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThe All Sky Automated Survey is a low cost project, the ultimate goal of which is detection and investigation of any kind of the photometric variability present all over the sky. The current system consists of 4 instruments covering 36x36, 9x9 (2 units) and 2x2 degrees, equipped with 2Kx2K CCDs, V,R,I standard filters and custom made automated mounts. All are working in Las Campanas Observatory, Chile in fully automated mode. In the ASAS‐3 phase of the project we have been taking data at a rate of 1 measurement per 1‐3 days for all available objects brighter than V=14, located south of δ = +28 deg. So far over 2 TB of images has been collected and analyzed, leading to a photometric light curve catalog of over 10 million sources. A preliminary search for variability revealed over 40,000 bright, variable sources (over 75 % were not previously known). Direct access to the data is available over the Internet: http://www.astrouw.edu.pl/∼gp/asas. At present the ASAS Alert System is being tested. Events, like outbursts of CV's or Novae, eclipses etc. are reported within a few minutes after first detection. Due to large number of artifacts in these data raw events require verification, which can take up to 24 hours. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
ROTAT at OHP
Authors: Niedworok S. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractROTAT at OHP is a remote observatory of the Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics of the University of Tübingen at the Observatoire de Haute Provènce. Targeted on educational purposes, it permits the user to accomplish observations in real time via the internet. In this paper we give an overview of the software architecture used to control the various facilities at the remote site, as well as a short introduction to a simple workflow language for astronomical observations used at our robotic telescope in Tübingen. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The Robotically Controlled Telescope (RCT) at KPNO
Authors: Gelderman R. , Carini M.T. , Davis D. R. , Everett M. E. , Guinan E. F. , Howell S. B. , Marchenko S. V. , Mattox J. R. , McGruder C. H. , Walter D. K. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThe 1.3‐m telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory was originally commissioned in 1964 as the “Remotely Controlled Telescope”, a pioneering project in unattended, remote observing. Forty years of technological advances later, the 1.3‐m has been refurbished, automated and reborn as the “Robotically Controlled Telescope”. The RCT is used to pursue a variety of research programs which incorporate techniques to achieve extremely high precision photometric monitoring of stars and AGN, as well as to search for transits of extrasolar planets. Since spring of 2003 the RCT has been controlled through pre‐scheduled scripts, without interactive human control, to collect imaging data. The work on automation of the observatory system is continuing, with the ultimate goal being that the computer will control the telescope through semiintelligent software to make observations as efficiently as a well‐trained human astronomer. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Status of SuperWASP I (La Palma)
Authors: Street R.A. , Christian D. J. , Clarkson W. I. , Collier Cameron A. , Evans N. , Fitzsimmons A. , Haswell C. A. , Hellier C. , Hodgkin S. T. , Horne K. , Kane S. R. , Keenan F. P. , Lister T. A. , Norton A. J. , Pollacco D. , Ryans R. , Skillen I. , West R. G. , Wheatley P. J. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractSuperWASP is an ultra‐wide field (over 300 sq. degrees) photometric survey project designed to monitor stars between 7 – 15 mag to high precision and with high cadence over long (≥2 months) timescales. The primary science goal of this project is the detection of exoplanetary transits, as well as NEOs and optical transients. The resulting photometric catalogue will be made public via a web‐based interface. The SuperWASP instrument consists of an array of cameras each with a 7.8° × 7.8° field of view, guided by a robotic fork mount and sited in a fibreglass enclosure at the Observatorio de Roque de los Muchachos (ORM), La Palma, Canary Islands. In this progress report, we describe the specifications of the instrument, its semi‐automated operation and pipeline data reduction. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The Virgin Islands robotic telescope
Authors: Neff J. E. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThe Etelman Observatory of the University of the Virgin Islands is the southernmost and easternmost optical observatory in the United States. The observatory is located at an elevation of 420 meters on the island of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. The site has exceptionally good seeing (frequently better than 1 arc‐second), dark skies, and the ability to reach deep into the southern hemisphere and to plug the northern‐hemisphere longitude gap between the US and Europe. Astronomers at the College of Charleston, South Carolina State University, and the University of the Virgin Islands have formed a consortium to refurbish the facility, conduct detailed site surveys, purchase a 0.5‐meter telescope and instrumentation, and operate the facility robotically. The telescope, instrumentation, and dome have all been installed, and we are remotely obtaining commissioning observations. Our operations mode (manual, remote‐controlled, or fully robotic) will simultaneously support our research, participation in multi‐site campaigns, and the educational and outreach missions of our institutions. Further details are available at http://astro.uvi.edu/. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
HST experience in data management
Authors: Albrecht R. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThe data generated by the Hubble Space Telescope pose a series of special requirements for the analysis process. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is being operated in a semi‐autonomous, pre‐programmed manner, executing a queue of observing requests. Calibration is being done “institutionally”, i.e. not in response to individual observing programs, but in the same manner for all users. Data products are being generated for the observers, and they are ingested in the HST science data archives, to make them available for further exploitation through the Virtual Observatory. Added value products can be generated by combining data from different programs. Interactive analysis tools are being supplied to support users in the optimum exploitation of the data. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
STARE operations experience and its data quality control
Authors: Alonso R. , Deeg H. J. , Brown T. M. , Belmonte J. A. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThe STARE instrument was the first to detect the transits of an extrasolar planet in 1999. To date it has performed one of the longest running searches for transits, being in nearly continous operations since July 2001 at Teide Observatory, Tenerife. We describe the instrumental setup and the scheme that is used for data acquisition, handling and analysis. To this end, we first review the conditions under which we obtained data suggestive of transits, and we then follow a chain of verification and follow‐up measures, progressing from fairly simple ones of low cost and effort towards more involved ones, which may be needed to positively verify the existence of a true planetary transit. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Pipeline and data flow for the INAF‐Capodimonte guaranteed observing time at VLT Survey Telescope
Authors: Grado A. , Capaccioli M. , Silvotti R. , Pavlov M. , Getman F. , Volpicelli A. , Alcala' J. M. , Radovich M. , Puddu E. , Capasso G. , Busarello G. , Cappellaro E. , Marconi M. , Longo G. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractVST is the acronym for VLT Survey Telescope, a 2.6 m wide‐field (WF) imaging telescope conceived and built by the INAF‐Capodimonte Astronomical Observatory in Naples (INAF‐OAC) chiefly to serve the ESO VLT at the Cerro Paranal Observatory. The VST will be equipped with a 16 K × 16K mosaic camera built by the European consortium OmegaCam. The system shall cover a corrected field of view of 1 square degree with a pixel scale of 0.21 arcsec. The expected average data rate will be about 150 GB per night; a flood of data implying suitable HW/SW facilities. ESO, operating the telescope at Paranal, will reserve about 20% of the VST observing time to INAF‐OAC in return for the procurement of the instrument. The INAF‐OAC core program planned for this time includes a galactic and an extragalactic survey, a SN search campaign, and an extended monitoring of the minor bodies of the Solar System. In this paper we describe the data flow, the data model, and the features of the processing system under development. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Automated analysis of stellar spectra
Authors: Allende Prieto C. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractClassical model‐atmosphere analyses of stellar spectra usually begin by measuring equivalent widths, and then proceed into a loop in which 1) model spectra are calculated for a set of abundances and atmospheric parameters, and 2) observed and computed spectra are compared and corrections to the abundances and parameters are inferred. Automated techniques have been developed to automate the measurement of equivalent widths, and some or all parts in the analysis loop. However, in order to tackle the massive datasets provided by the new spectroscopic surveys with dedicated telescopes, it is necessary to make some radical changes. It is argued that future analyses of stellar spectra should abandon the use of equivalent widths, and rely on tables of synthetic spectra that can be either interpolated extremely fast in minimum‐distance optimization methods or used for training genetic algorithms. Examples of ongoing projects involving high‐dispersion stellar spectra for a small sample and low‐dispersion spectra for a sample of tens of thousands of stars are described. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Solar system observations by remote observing technique: useful experience for robotic telescope strategies
Authors: Birlan M. , Barucci A. , Thuillot W. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractRemote observations between Paris Observatory and Mauna Kea (Hawaii) have been started two years ago. Nowadays ten runs have been already conducted from the remote observing center located in Meudon. The main topics of our investigations were devoted to physical studies of minor planets (Binzel et al. 2004, Birlan et al. 2004) and to spectral investigations of planetary atmospheres. Our experience attained its maturity and the acquired feed‐backs allow us to discern between the advantages and difficulties of this observing technique. The main purpose of this paper is to share the remote observing experience and to valorize it in the frame of robotic telescope concept. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
New results from BEST: the search for planetary transits
Authors: Rauer H. , Erikson A. , Voss H. , Titz R. , Hatzes A. P. , Eislöffel J. , Guenther E. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThe Berlin Exoplanet Search Telescope (BEST) is a small‐aperture, wide‐field telescope dedicated to the search of photometric transits of close‐in Jupiter‐sized exoplanets. Regular observations of several fields have been performed from 2001 to 2003 at Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg, Germany. Planetary transit candidates have been found and followed further with radial velocity measurements. In addition, a substantial number of variable stars have been detected. During the second half of 2004 the system will be relocated to southern France and perform variability characterization of the target fields of the COROT space mission. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Robotic telescopes on the Antarctic plateau
Authors: Ashley M. C. B. , Burton M. G. , Lawrence J. S. , Storey J. W. V. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThe high plateau that covers half of the continent of Antarctica contains the best astronomical observing sites on Earth. The infrared sky background is low, the precipitable water vapour is low, the sub‐millimetre sky opacity is low, the winds are low, the atmosphere is exceedingly clear and stable, it never rains, there is no dust, it is geological stable, and the seeing at some sites, notably Dome C, is superb. The turbulence profile in the atmosphere is beneficial for adaptive optics, with fewer actuators and fewer deformable mirrors being required, and with significant correction being possible at visible wavelengths. For projects that require continuous monitoring, e.g., planet detection through micro‐lensing, a single robotic telescope in Antarctica can replace a network of 4–6 telescopes placed around the world at mid‐latitude sites. For many projects requiring large apertures, a given size telescope in Antarctica will outperform a telescope of 2–3 times the aperture at a mid‐latitude site. We review what is known about the site conditions, and outline some of the issues involved with designing robotic telescopes to work in Antarctica. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Anti‐solar differential rotation
Authors: Kitchatinov L. L. , Rüdiger G. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThe differential rotation of anti‐solar type detected by observations for several stars may result from a fast meridional flow. The sufficiently intensive meridional circulation may be caused by large‐scale thermal inhomogeneities or, perhaps, by tidal forcing from a companion star. First results of simulations of the anti‐solar rotation of a giant star with magnetically induced thermal inhomogeneities are presented. Perspectives for observational check of the theory are discussed. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Asteroseismology with robotic telescopes
Authors: Handler G. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractAsteroseismology explores the interior of pulsating stars by analysing their normal mode spectrum. The detection of a sufficient number of pulsation modes for seismic modelling of main sequence variables requires large quantities of highprecision time resolved photometry. Robotic telescopes have become an asset for asteroseismology because of their stable instrumentation, cost‐ and time‐efficient operation and the potentially large amounts of observing time available.We illustrate these points by presenting selected results on several types of pulsating variables, such as δ Scuti stars (main sequence and pre‐main sequence), γ Doradus stars, rapidly oscillating Ap stars and β Cephei stars, thereby briefly reviewing recent success stories of asteroseismic studies of main sequence stars. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Astrometric reference stars: from UCAC to URAT
Authors: Zacharias N. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractCurrently available astrometric catalogs will be reviewed, and instrumentation and observational issues discussed, particularly systematic errors and their control. The U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) CCD Astrograph Catalog (UCAC) is an all‐sky astrometric survey to 16th magnitude. It was observed with a semi‐automated telescope on a low budget. The second data release (July 2003) contains positions, proper motions, and photometry for over 48 million stars; the final release is expected in 2006. Design studies have been performed for a new 0.9‐meter aperture USNO Robotic Astrometric Telescope (URAT) with a single chip (≥100 Mpixel), 3 degree FOV and circular symmetric pupil. Its operation is envisioned to be fully automatic, generating stellar positions on the 5 to 10 mas level to at least 18th magnitude with a limiting magnitude of about 20 to 21. These reference stars, being on an inertial system (linked to quasars), will be very beneficial for LSST, PanSTARRS and other projects. With a few years of observing, absolute trigonometric parallaxes (5‐20 mas, depending on magnitude) could be obtained for all stars accessible by URAT from an initially southern hemisphere location. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Adaptive optics for robotic telescopes
Authors: von der Lühe O. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractAdaptive optics is a technology which compensates dynamical optical aberrations in an astronomical telescope. The technique has matured during the past decade and exists today at any large observatory. Adaptive optics improve the spatial resolution, ideally to the diffraction limit, and concentrate the source's flux, increasing the sensitivity. Both properties can be relevant to science programs with robotic telescopes. The hardware for adaptive optics becomes more readily available at lower costs, and there are many research groups working on their development. We review the current status of adaptive optics and discuss its relevance to robotic telescopes. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A robotic reflective Schmidt telescope for Dome C
Authors: Strassmeier K. G. , Andersen M. I. , Steinbach M. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThis paper lays out a wide‐field robotic Schmidt telescope (RST) for the Antarctic site Dome C. The telescope is based on 80/120 cm reflective Schmidt optics, built originally for a space project, and a mosaic of four 7.5 k × 7.5 k 8‐μm thinned CCDs from the PEPSI/LBT wafer run. The telescope's total field of view (FOV) would be 5° circular (minimum 3° × 3° square) with a plate scale of 0.7 arcsec per pixel. Limiting magnitude is expected to be V = 21.5 mag in 60 sec for a field of 9 square degrees. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)