RoboNet-II: Follow-up observations of microlensing events with a robotic network of telescopes (original) (raw)

NASA/ADS

;

• Street, R. ;
• Horne, K. ;
• Snodgrass, C. ;
• Dominik, M. ;
• Allan, A. ;
• Steele, I. ;
• Bramich, D. M. ;
• Saunders, E. S. ;
• Rattenbury, N. ;
• Mottram, C. ;
• Fraser, S. ;
• Clay, N. ;
• Burgdorf, M. ;
• Bode, M. ;
• Lister, T. A. ;
• Hawkins, E. ;
• Beaulieu, J. P. ;
• Fouqué, P. ;
• Albrow, M. ;
• Menzies, J. ;
• Cassan, A. ;
• Dominis-Prester, D.

Abstract

RoboNet-II uses a global network of robotic telescopes to perform follow-up observations of microlensing events in the Galactic Bulge. The current network consists of three 2 m telescopes located in Hawaii and Australia (owned by Las Cumbres Observatory) and the Canary Islands (owned by Liverpool John Moores University). In future years the network will be expanded by deploying clusters of 1 m telescopes in other suitable locations. A principal scientific aim of the RoboNet-II project is the detection of cool extra-solar planets by the method of gravitational microlensing. These detections will provide crucial constraints to models of planetary formation and orbital migration. RoboNet-II acts in coordination with the PLANET microlensing follow-up network and uses an optimization algorithm (``web-PLOP'') to select the targets and a distributed scheduling paradigm (eSTAR) to execute the observations. Continuous automated assessment of the observations and anomaly detection is provided by the ARTEMiS system.

Publication:

Astronomische Nachrichten

Pub Date:

January 2009

DOI:

10.1002/asna.200811130

arXiv:

arXiv:0808.0813

Bibcode:

2009AN....330....4T

Keywords:

• planetary systems;
• techniques: photometric;
• telescopes;
• Astrophysics

E-Print:

8 pages, 4 figures. Astronomical Notes - accepted. Changes:*spelling corrections and rewording. *Expanded sections on how the software interacts to further clarify the procedure. *Clarified further minor points as requested by the referee