Automation of the AST3 optical sky survey from Dome~A, Antarctica

TL;DR

This paper discusses the fully automated operation of the AST3 telescopes in Antarctica, highlighting hardware, software, and operational strategies that enable continuous, unattended astronomical observations in a remote environment.

Contribution

It introduces the automation system for AST3 telescopes, showcasing how hardware and software integration facilitates autonomous, continuous sky surveys in Antarctica.

Findings

Successful autonomous operation during winter

Continuous data collection enabled by automation

Unique hardware/software solutions for harsh environment

Abstract

The 0.5\,m Antarctic Survey Telescopes (AST3) were designed for time-domain optical/infrared astronomy. They are located in Dome~A, Antarctica, where they can take advantage of the continuous dark time during winter. Since the site is unattended in winter, everything for the operation, from observing to data reduction, had to be fully automated. Here, we present a brief overview of the AST3 project and some of its unique characteristics due to its location in Antarctica. We summarise the various components of the survey, including the customized hardware and software, that make complete automation possible.