Mega-MUSE Nearby Galaxy Serendipity Survey

TL;DR

The Mega-MUSE Nearby Galaxy Serendipity Survey aims to leverage novel observational facilities to discover unexpected phenomena and gather comprehensive data on rare stars and nebulae in local galaxies, enhancing our understanding beyond current limitations.

Contribution

It introduces a survey strategy that emphasizes serendipitous discoveries and the use of new facilities to study local galaxies without targeting specific problems.

Findings

Potential to discover unknown phenomena in local galaxies

Provides statistical data on rare stars and nebulae

Enhances understanding of local galaxy properties

Abstract

The Mega-MUSE Nearby Galaxy Serendipity Survey is a White Paper in response to the ESO Expanding Horizons Call for Ideas. It is based on the notion that novel observing facilities for astronomy almost always make discoveries that were not anticipated at the time of planning and conceptual design. Unlike other surveys it is not targeting the solution of a single specific astrophysical problem, but enables the exploitation of data obtained from other surveys in Local Group and Local Volume galaxies to clarify open science questions that cannot be solved otherwise. The most prominent objectives are to obtain solid statistics of rare stars and gaseous nebulae as well as their properties that are not accessible in the Milky Way disk due to extinction and selection effects, and the discovery of as yet unknown phenomena.