The CSTAR Telescopes

The original CSTAR (Chinese Small Telescope ARray) consisted of four identical f/1.2 Schmidt telescopes on a common mount. The mount was fixed to look at the South Celestial Pole. Each telescope had an entrance aperture of 145 mm and a 4.5° × 4.5° field of view. The telescopes used Andor 1k × 1k CCDs with a pixel size of 13 microns, giving 15 arcseconds per pixel. Each telescope observed through a different filter: either g, r, i or open. The main science goals of CSTAR were observations of variable stars, and to do measurements of atmosphere extinction and sky brightness.

Master frame of the CSTAR field of view. The white cross denotes the position of the South Celestial Pole. The edge of the field corresponds to δ=-87°17´. From Wang et al. 2011, AJ, 142:155.

The original CSTAR operated from 2008 to 2011 inclusive, producing about 3 TB of data. The star catalog is published and publically available. The photometry is available on request.

In January 2015 a new CSTAR instrument was installed. This consists of two of the original CSTAR telescopes, placed on a tracking mount.

For more information visit the website of the Chinese Center for Antarctic Astronomy (CCAA).

CSTAR The original CSTAR telescopes at Dome A Antarctica in 2009.

Refereed papers from CSTAR

  1. Oelkers, R. J., Macri, L. M., Wang, L., Ashley, M. C. B., Cui, X., Feng, L.-L., Gong, X., Lawrence, J. S., Qiang, L., Luong-Van, D., Pennypacker, C. R., Yang, H., Yuan, X., York, D. G., Zhou, X., Zhu, Z., 2014, Difference Image Analysis of Defocused Observations with CSTAR, Astronomical Journal, 149:50.
  2. Qian, S.-B., Wang, J.-J., Zhu, L.-Y., Snoonthornthum, B., Wang, L.-Z., Zhao, E. G., Zhou, X., Liao, W.-P., and Liu, N.-P., 2014, Optical Flares and a Long-lived Dark Spot on a Cool Shallow Contact Binary, The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 212:4.
  3. Huang, Z., Fu, J., Zong, W., Wang, L., Macri, L. M., Wang, L., Ashley, M. C. B., Cui, X., Feng, L.-L., Gong, X., Lawrence, J. S., Liu, Q., Luong-Van, D., Pennypacker, C. R., Yang, H., Yuan, X., York, D., Xu, Z., Zhu, Z., Zhu, Z., 2015, Pulsations and Period Changes of the Non-Blazhko RR Lyrae Variable Y Oct Observed from Dome A, Antarctica, Astronomical Journal, 149, 25.
  4. Wang, S.-H., Zhou, X., Zhang, H., Zhou, J.-L., Liu, H.-G., Meng, Z.-Y., Ma, J., Zhang, T.-M., Fan, Z. and Zou, H., 2014, The correction of diurnal effects on CSTAR photometry, Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 14, 345–356.
  5. Wang, S., Zhang, H., Zhou, J.-L., Zhou, X., Yang, M., Wang, L., Bayliss, D., Zhou, G., Ashley, M. C. B., Fan, Z., Feng, L.-L., Gong, X., Lawrence, J. S., Liu, H., Liu, Q., Luong-Van, D. M., Ma, J., Meng, Z., Storey, J. W. V., Wittenmyer, R. A., Wu, Z., Yan, J., Yang, H., Yang, J., Yang, J., Yuan, X., Zhang, T., Zhu, Z., Zou, H., 2014, Planetary Transit Candidates in the CSTAR Field: Analysis of the 2008 Data, The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 211, 26.
  6. Meng, Z., Zhou, X., Zhang, H., Zhou, J., Wang, S., Ma, J., Zhang, T., Fan, Z., Zou, H., 2013, Ghost Image Correction in CSTAR Photometry, PASP, 125, 1015–1020.
  7. Wang, L., Macri, L. M., Wang, L., Ashley, M. C. B., Cui, X., Feng, L.-L., Gong, X., Lawrence, J. S. , Liu, Q., Luong-Van, D., Pennypacker, C. R. and Shang, Z., Storey, J. W. V., Yang, H., Yang, J., Yuan, X., York, D. G., Zhou, X., Zhu, Z., Zhu, Z., 2013, Photometry of Variable Stars from Dome A, Antarctica: Results from the 2010 Observing Season, Astronomical Journal, 146, 139.
  8. Wang, S., Zhou, X., Zhang, H., Zhou, J., Ma, J., Fan, Z, Zou, Hu, Meng, Z., and Yang, J., 2012, The Inhomogeneous Effect of Cloud on CSTAR Photometry and Its Correction, PASP, 124, 1167–1174.
  9. Wang, L., Macri, L. M., Krisciunas, K., Wang, L., Ashley, M. C. B., Cui, X., Feng, L.-L., Gong, X., Lawrence, J. S., Liu, Q., Luong-Van, D., Pennypacker, C. R., Shang, Z., Storey, J. W. V., Yang, H., Yang, J., Yuan, X., York, D. G., Zhou, X., Zhu, Z., 2011, Photometry of Variable Stars from Dome A, Antarctica, The Astronomical Journal, 142, 155.
  10. Xu Zhou, Zhen-Yu Wu, Zhao-Ji Jiang, Xiang-Qun Cui, Long-Long Feng, Xue-Fei Gong, Jing-Yao Hu, Qi-Sheng Li, Gen-Rong Liu, Jun Ma, Jia-Li Wang, Li-Fan Wang, Jiang-Hua Wu, Li-Rong Xia, Jun Yan, Xiang-Yan Yuan, Feng-Xiang Zhai, Ru Zhang and Zhen-Xi Zhu, 2010, Testing and data reduction of the Chinese Small Telescope Array (CSTAR) for Dome A, Antarctica, Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 10, 279–290.
  11. Hu Zou, Xu Zhou, Zhaoji Jiang, M.C.B. Ashley, Xiangqun Cui, Longlong Feng, Xuefei Gong, Jingyao Hu, C.A. Kulesa, J.S. Lawrence, Genrong Liu, D.M. Luong-Van, Jun Ma, A.M. Moore, Pennypacker, C.R., Weijia Qin, Zhaohui Shang, J.W.V. Storey, Bo Sun, T. Travouillon, C.K. Walker, Jiali Wang, Lifan Wang, Jianghua Wu, Zhenyu Wu, Lirong Xia, Jun Yan, Ji Yang, Huigen Yang, Yongqiang Yao, Xiangyan Yuan, D.G. York, Zhanhai Zhang and Zhenxi Zhu, 2010, The sky brightness and transparency in i-band at Dome A, Antarctica, Astronomical Journal, 140, 602–611.
  12. Zhou, X., Fan, Z., Jiang, Z., Ashley, M. C. B., Cui, X., Feng, L., Gong, X., Hu, J., Kulesa, C. A., Lawrence, J. S., Liu, G., Luong-Van, D. M., Ma, J., Moore, A. M., Qin, W., Shang, Z., Storey, J. W. V., Sun, B., Travouillon, T., Walker, C. K., Wang, J., Wang, L., Wu, J., Wu, Z., Xia, L., Yan, J., Yang, J., Yang, H., Yuan, X., York, D., Zhang, Z., Zhu, Z., 2010, The First Release of the CSTAR Point Source Catalog from Dome A, Antarctica, Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 122, 347–353.
  13. Yang, H., Allen, G., Ashley, M.C.B., Bonner, C.S., Bradley, S., Cui, X., Everett, J.R., Feng, L., Gong, X., Hengst, S., Hu, J., Jiang, Z., Kulesa, C.A., Lawrence, J.S., Li, Y., Luong-Van, D., McCaughrean, M.J., Moore, A.M., Pennypacker, C., Qin, W., Riddle, R., Shang, Z., Storey, J.W.V., Sun, B., Suntzeff, N., Tothill, N.F.H., Travouillon, T., Walker, C.K., Wang, L., Yan, J., Yang, J., York, D., Yuan, X., Zhang, X., Zhang, Z., Zhou, X., and Zhu, Z., 2009, The PLATO Dome A Site-Testing Observatory: Instrumentation and First Results, Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 121, 174–184.

SPIE instrumentation papers from CSTAR

  1. X. Yuan, X. Cui, G. Liu, F. Zhai, X. Gong, R. Zhang, L. Xia, J. Hu, J.S. Lawrence, J. Yan, J.W.V.Storey, L. Wang, L. Feng, M.C.B. Ashley, X. Zhou, Z. Jiang and Z. Zhu, 2008, Chinese Small Telescope ARray (CSTAR) for Antarctic Dome A, Proc. SPIE, 7012, 70124G–70124G-8.
  2. X. Gong, L. Xia, R. Zhang, 2008, Design and analysis of cushioning packing box for Chinese Small Telescope Array, Proc. SPIE, 7018, 701848–8.

Conference proceedings from CSTAR

  1. Zhou, X., Ashley, M. C. B., Cui, X., Feng, L., Gong, X., Hu, J., Jiang, Z., Kulesa, C. A., Lawrence, J. S., Liu, G., Luong-Van, D. M., Ma, J., Macri, L. M., Meng, Z., Moore, A. M., Qin, W. , Shang, Z., Storey, J. W. V., Sun, B. and Travouillon, T., Walker, C. K., Wang, J., Wang, L., Wang, L., Wang, S., Wu, J., Wu, Z., Xia, L., Yan, J. , Yang, J., Yang, H., Yao, Y., Yuan, X. and York, D., Zhang, H., Zhang, Z., Zhou, J., Zhu, Z., Zou, H., 2013, Progress and Results from the Chinese Small Telescope ARray (CSTAR), IAU Symposium, 288, 231–238.
  2. Wang, L., Macri, L. M., Wang, L., Ashley, M. C. B., Cui, X., Feng, L. L., Gong, X., Lawrence, J. S. , Liu, Q., Luong-Van, D., Pennypacker, C. R. and Shang, Z., Storey, J. W. V., Yang, H., Yang, J., Yuan, X. , York, D. G., Zhou, X., Zhu, Z., Zhu, Z., 2013, Photometry of Variables from Dome A, Antarctica, IAU Symposium, 288, 320–321.
  3. Xiangqun Cui, 2010, CSTAR and future plans for Dome A, IAU Highlights of Astronomy, 15, 639–640.
  4. Gong, X., Wang, L., Cui, X., Feng, L., Yuan, X., Ashley, M. C. B., Allen, G., Bonner, C. S., Bradley, S. G., Everett, J. R., Hengst, S., Hu, J., Jiang, Z., Kulesa, C. A., Lawrence, J. S., Li, Y., Luong-van, D. M., McCaughrean, M. J., Moore, A. M., Pennypacker, C., Qin, W., Riddle, R., Shang, Z., Storey, J. W. V., Sun, B., Suntzeff, N., Tothill, N. F. H., Travouillon, T., Walker, C. K., Yan, J., Yang, H., Yang, J., York, D. G., Zhang, X., Zhang, Z., Zhou, X., and Zhu, Z., 2010, Dome A site testing and future plans, EAS Publications Series, 40, 65–72.

CSTAR was developed by:

PMO Purple Mountain Observatory, China
NIAOT Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics and Technology, China
NAOC National Astronomical Observatories of China