Atmospheric extinction in B and V photometry at the South Pole

• Published in: Highlights of Astronomy
• Main Authors: Chen, Kwan-Yu, Wood, Frank Bradshaw
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1992
• Subjects: General Medicine; Austral; South Pole; South pole
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1539299600022553; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1539299600022553

Scientific work at the South Pole during austral winter began in 1957, the International Geophysical Year. Interest in a polar observatory was already expressed in the survey of polar research conducted by the Committee of Polar Research (Gould, 1970). But not until 1986, was photoelectric photometry of variable stars made at the South Pole (Chen et al 1988); and in 1988, stellar observations for atmospheric extinction were made. The optical telescope used for stellar observations at the South Pole is a twin-mirror siderostat with an 8 cm lens (Chen et al 1986; Taylor 1988). The computer-controlled automated telescope made the polar observations possible.