MRI: Acquisition of a 3-Station Global Network of Automated Telescopes to Detect a Large Number of Nearby Transiting Extra-solar Planets

MRI：采购 3 站全球自动望远镜网络来探测大量附近的凌日系外行星

• 批准号: 0723074
• 负责人: Gaspar Bakos
• 金额: $ 71.95万
• 依托单位: Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-09-01 至 2010-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0723074&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Station; Global; Network

This research involves the acquisition of a longitudinally-spaced global network of fully automated medium-wide field telescopes in the southern hemisphere, with the primary purpose of detecting exoplanets transiting stars in the magnitude range 9.5 - 13.5. This project builds on, and is modeled after, the very successful northern hemisphere version of the system. Statistically, approximately 25 exoplanets per year are expected to be discovered with this system. Three telescope sites would be built, in Namibia, Chile, and Australia, allowing round-the-clock monitoring of light curves. The work will involve partnerships with the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy at the Namibian site; the Australian National University at the Siding Spring, Australia, site; and with Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. The discovery of planets beyond our own solar system is a topic of intense interest to both astronomers and the general public. The data products resulting from this work will also form an extensive catalog of stellar variability data.

这项研究涉及在南半球建立一个全自动中宽视场望远镜的空间间隔全球网络，主要目的是探测9.5 - 13.5等的系外行星过境恒星。这个项目建立在非常成功的北方系统的基础上，并以之为模型。据统计，预计每年将有大约25颗系外行星被发现。将在纳米比亚、智利和澳大利亚建立三个望远镜站点，以便全天候监测光变曲线。这项工作将涉及与纳米比亚马克斯普朗克天文研究所、澳大利亚锡丁泉澳大利亚国立大学以及智利拉斯坎帕纳斯天文台的合作。发现太阳系以外的行星是天文学家和公众都非常感兴趣的话题。这项工作产生的数据产品也将形成一个广泛的恒星变率数据目录。