The SONG prototype: Efficiency of a robotic telescope

TL;DR

The SONG prototype telescope at Teide Observatory has demonstrated effective robotic operation and high-resolution spectroscopic capabilities for asteroseismic observations since 2014, showcasing its potential for efficient stellar research.

Contribution

This paper presents the first operational results and performance evaluation of the robotic SONG telescope, highlighting its efficiency in conducting asteroseismic observations.

Findings

Successful robotic operation since 2014

Effective detection of stellar oscillations

Potential for long-term stellar monitoring

Abstract

The Stellar Observations Network Group prototype telescope at the Teide Observatory has been operating in scientific mode since March 2014. The first year of observations has entirely been carried out using the high resolution echelle spectrograph. Several asteroseismic targets were selected for scientific and technical verification. A few bright subgiants and one red giant were chosen since the oscillations in these stars have large amplitudes and the periods long enough to easily be detected. These targets would also be used for evaluation of the instruments since long term observations of single targets would reveal potential problems. In this paper the performance of the first robotic SONG node is described to illustrate the efficiency and possibilities in having a robotic telescope.