Special Session 7 Astronomy in Antartica

• Published in: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
• Main Author: Burton, Michael G.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2006
• Subjects: Astronomy and Astrophysics; Space and Planetary Science; Antarctic; Arctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica; antartic*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1743921307012252; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1743921307012252

Abstract The high, dry and stable climatic conditions on top of the Antarctic plateau offer exceptional conditions for a wide range of observational astronomy, from optical to millimetre wavelengths. This is principally on account of the greatly reduced thermal backgrounds, the improved atmospheric transmission and the supurb seeing, in comparison with conditions at temperate latitude sites. The polar plateaus in the Arctic may also offer excellent conditions for astronomy, though these have yet to be quantified. We briefly review the history of astronomy in Antarctica and outline some of the activities now taking place on the polar plateaus, and plans for the future.