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arXiv · 1210.1584

La Silla-QUEST Variability Survey in the Southern Hemisphere

Ellie Hadjiyska·David Rabinowitz·Charles Baltay·Nancy Ellman·Peter Nugent·Robert Zinn·Benjamin Horowitz·Ryan McKinnon·Lissa R. Miller
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Abstract

We describe the La Silla-QUEST (LSQ) Variability Survey. LSQ is a dedicated wide-field synoptic survey in the Southern Hemisphere, focussing on the discovery and study of transients ranging from low redshift (z < 0.1) SN Ia, Tidal Disruption events, RR Lyræ variables, CVs, Quasars, TNOs and others. The survey utilizes the 1.0-m Schmidt Telescope of the European Southern Observatory at La Silla, Chile, with the large-area QUEST camera, a mosaic of 112 CCDs with field of view of 9.6 square degrees. The LSQ Survey was commissioned in 2009, and is now regularly covering ~1000 square deg per night with a repeat cadence of hours to days. The data are currently processed on a daily basis. We present here a first look at the photometric capabilities of LSQ and we discuss some of the most interesting recent transient detections.

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Ellie Hadjiyska, David Rabinowitz, Charles Baltay, Nancy Ellman, Peter Nugent, Robert Zinn, Benjamin Horowitz, Ryan McKinnon, Lissa R. Miller. 2012-10-04. La Silla-QUEST Variability Survey in the Southern Hemisphere. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1743921312000944

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