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arXiv · 2504.01612

The Mini-SiTian Array: first-two-year operation

Min He·Hong Wu·Liang Ge·Jian-feng Tian·Zheng Wang·Hai-yang Mu·Yu Zhang·Yang Huang·Jie Zheng·Zhou Fan·Zheng-yang Li·Hong-hui Gu·Heng-geng Han·Kai Xiao·Zhi-rui Li·Jun-jie Jin·Bei-chuan Wang·Jun Ma·Jin-hang Zou·Ying Wu·Jiu-peng Guo·Li-guo Fang·Zhi-gang Hou·Bo-wen Zhang·Yun-fei Xu·Yi-ming Mao·Shuai Liu·Fang-zhou Ren·Cun-shi Wang·Xue Li·Yong-xin Wu·Chuan-jie Zheng·Yi-yang Lin·Shun-xuan He·Kun Xu·Yi-nan Zhu·Zhi-jun Tu·Xin-lin Zhao·Yong-kang Sun·Hua Bao·Xue-ang Sun·Ying-zhen Cui·Lan-ya Mou·Rui-feng Shi·Jing-hang Shi·Xun-hao Chen·Yu-liang Hong·Hao-miao Huang·Zi-kun Lin·Ze-yang Pan·Rui-ning Zhao·Ying-jie Cai·Rui Wang·Jun-bo Zhang·Jin-hu Wang·Wan Zhou·Sheng-ming Li·Jing Ren·Xiao-han Chen·Xiang-yu Li·Li-yue Zhang·Hao Mo·Yu-yang Zhou·Jia-hui Wang·Bu-hui Lv·Zhao-hui Shang·Yun-ning Zhao·Jin-lei Zhang·Yue Sun·Xiao-peng Liu·Zi-jian Han·Yong-na Mao·Ji-feng Liu
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Abstract

The SiTian project, designed to utilize 60 telescopes distributed across multiple sites in China, is a next-generation time-domain survey initiative. As a pathfinder for the SiTian project, the Mini-SiTian (MST) has been proposed and implemented to test the SiTian's brain and data pipeline, and to evaluate the feasibility of its technology and science cases. Mounted at the Xinglong Observatory, the MST project comprises three 30 cm telescopes and has been operated since Nov. 2022. Each telescope of the MST possesses a large field of view, covering $2.29^{\circ}$ $\times$ $1.53^{\circ}$ FOV, and is equipped with $g'$, $r'$ and $i'$ filters, respectively. Acting as the pioneer of the forthcoming SiTian project, the MST is dedicated to the discovery of variable stars, transients, and outburst events, and has already obtained some interesting scientific results. In this paper, we will summarize the first-two-year operation of the MST project.

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Min He, Hong Wu, Liang Ge, Jian-feng Tian, Zheng Wang, Hai-yang Mu, Yu Zhang, Yang Huang, Jie Zheng, Zhou Fan, Zheng-yang Li, Hong-hui Gu, Heng-geng Han, Kai Xiao, Zhi-rui Li, Jun-jie Jin, Bei-chuan Wang, Jun Ma, Jin-hang Zou, Ying Wu, Jiu-peng Guo, Li-guo Fang, Zhi-gang Hou, Bo-wen Zhang, Yun-fei Xu, Yi-ming Mao, Shuai Liu, Fang-zhou Ren, Cun-shi Wang, Xue Li, Yong-xin Wu, Chuan-jie Zheng, Yi-yang Lin, Shun-xuan He, Kun Xu, Yi-nan Zhu, Zhi-jun Tu, Xin-lin Zhao, Yong-kang Sun, Hua Bao, Xue-ang Sun, Ying-zhen Cui, Lan-ya Mou, Rui-feng Shi, Jing-hang Shi, Xun-hao Chen, Yu-liang Hong, Hao-miao Huang, Zi-kun Lin, Ze-yang Pan, Rui-ning Zhao, Ying-jie Cai, Rui Wang, Jun-bo Zhang, Jin-hu Wang, Wan Zhou, Sheng-ming Li, Jing Ren, Xiao-han Chen, Xiang-yu Li, Li-yue Zhang, Hao Mo, Yu-yang Zhou, Jia-hui Wang, Bu-hui Lv, Zhao-hui Shang, Yun-ning Zhao, Jin-lei Zhang, Yue Sun, Xiao-peng Liu, Zi-jian Han, Yong-na Mao, Ji-feng Liu. 2025-04-02. The Mini-SiTian Array: first-two-year operation. https://doi.org/10.1088/1674-4527%2Fadc788

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