eSTAR deployment
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
An increasing number of telescopes can be accessed via the internet, allowing observations to be requested remotely. This gives us the possibility that observations could be requested by computers, who could them assess the resulting data, and make intelligent decisions about what follow-up observations should be made. The eSTAR project has pioneered such a 'thinking telescope network', and created a test network which has carried out some scientific programmes. Here we are applying to enlarge the network, and the range of science it carries out, to make it easily usable tool for astronomers.
Organisations
Publications
Bachelet E
(2012)
A brown dwarf orbiting an M-dwarf: MOA 2009-BLG-411L
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Batista V
(2011)
MOA-2009-BLG-387Lb: a massive planet orbiting an M dwarf
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Bennett D
(2010)
MASSES AND ORBITAL CONSTRAINTS FOR THE OGLE-2006-BLG-109Lb,c JUPITER/SATURN ANALOG PLANETARY SYSTEM
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bozza V
(2012)
OGLE-2008-BLG-510: first automated real-time detection of a weak microlensing anomaly - brown dwarf or stellar binary?? OGLE-2008-BLG-510 - weak microlensing anomaly
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Choi J
(2012)
CHARACTERIZING LENSES AND LENSED STARS OF HIGH-MAGNIFICATION SINGLE-LENS GRAVITATIONAL MICROLENSING EVENTS WITH LENSES PASSING OVER SOURCE STARS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Fouqué P
(2010)
OGLE 2008-BLG-290: an accurate measurement of the limb darkening of a galactic bulge K Giant spatially resolved by microlensing
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Gaudi BS
(2008)
Discovery of a Jupiter/Saturn analog with gravitational microlensing.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Gould A
(2009)
THE EXTREME MICROLENSING EVENT OGLE-2007-BLG-224: TERRESTRIAL PARALLAX OBSERVATION OF A THICK-DISK BROWN DWARF
in The Astrophysical Journal
Gould A
(2010)
FREQUENCY OF SOLAR-LIKE SYSTEMS AND OF ICE AND GAS GIANTS BEYOND THE SNOW LINE FROM HIGH-MAGNIFICATION MICROLENSING EVENTS IN 2005-2008
in The Astrophysical Journal
Han C
(2009)
INTERPRETATION OF STRONG SHORT-TERM CENTRAL PERTURBATIONS IN THE LIGHT CURVES OF MODERATE-MAGNIFICATION MICROLENSING EVENTS
in The Astrophysical Journal
| Description | The eSTAR system is an "intelligent" system which looks at the results of astronomical observations, and uses that information to decide what observations to take next. Prior to this grant we had shown that such a system could work in a very limited way, the aim of this grant was to deploy eSTAR to carry out observations and show it could undertake cutting-edge science. This worked well with (i) a significant contribution to microlensing-based searches for planets outside our solar system, and (ii) a crucial observation in the discovery of the most distant object discovered to date. |
| Exploitation Route | The work links into a more general theme of intelligent agents, software entities which make rule-based real-time decisions. |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) |
| Description | I used eSTAR in several popular astronomy talks as an example of automation was becoming increasingly important in astronomy. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2007 |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Title | IVOA standards |
| Description | This proposal also contributed significantly to International Virtual Observatory Alliance Standards (see IVOA Recommendation: SAMP - Simple Application Messaging Protocol Version 1.3 and IVOA Recommendation: Sky Event Reporting Metadata Version 2.0). |
| Type Of Material | Data handling & control |
| Year Produced | 2009 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The standards are being used by other research groups |