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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
earth and planetary sciences
The VMC survey: I. Strategy and first data
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 527, No. 14, Article A116, Year 2011
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Description
Context. The new VISual and Infrared Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) has started operations. Over its first five years it will be collecting data for six public surveys, one of which is the near-infrared YJKs VISTA survey of the Magellanic Clouds system (VMC). This survey comprises the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), the Small Magellanic Cloud, the Magellanic Bridge connecting the two galaxies and two fields in the Magellanic Stream. Aims. This paper provides an overview of the VMC survey strategy and presents first science results. The main goals of the VMC survey are the determination of the spatially-resolved star-formation history and the three-dimensional structure of the Magellanic system. The VMC survey is therefore designed to reach stars as faint as the oldest main sequence turn-off point and to constrain the mean magnitude of pulsating variables such as RR Lyrae stars and Cepheids. This paper focuses on observations of VMC fields in the LMC obtained between November 2009 and March 2010. These observations correspond to a completeness of 7% of the planned LMC fields. Methods. The VMC data are comprised of multi-epoch observations which are executed following specific time constraints. The data were reduced using the VISTA Data Flow System pipeline with source catalogues, including astrometric and photometric corrections, produced and made available via the VISTA Science Archive. The VMC data will be released to the astronomical community following the European Southern Observatory's Public Survey policy. The analysis of the data shows that the sensitivity in each wave band agrees with expectations. Uncertainties and completeness of the data are also derived. Results. The first science results, aimed at assessing the scientific quality of the VMC data, include an overview of the distribution of stars in colour-magnitude and colour-colour diagrams, the detection of planetary nebulae and stellar clusters, and the Ks band light-curves of variable stars. Conclusions. The VMC survey represents a tremendous improvement, in spatial resolution and sensitivity, on previous panoramic observations of the Magellanic system in the near-infrared, providing a powerful complement to deep observations at other wavelengths. © 2011 ESO.
Authors & Co-Authors
Cioni, Maria Rosa L.
United Kingdom, Hatfield
University of Hertfordshire
Germany, Munich
Ludwig-maximilians-universität München
Clementini, Gisella
Italy, Bologna
Inaf Istituto Di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica, Bologna
Girardi, L.
Italy, Padua
Osservatorio Astronomico Di Padova
Guandalini, R.
United Kingdom, Hatfield
University of Hertfordshire
Gullieuszik, Marco
Belgium, Brussels
Royal Observatory of Belgium
Miszalski, Brent
United Kingdom, Hatfield
University of Hertfordshire
Moretti, M. I.
Italy, Bologna
Alma Mater Studiorum Università Di Bologna
Ripepi, Vincenzo
Italy, Naples
Osservatorio Astronomico Di Capodimonte
Rubele, S.
Italy, Padua
Osservatorio Astronomico Di Padova
Bagheri, G.
United Kingdom, Hatfield
University of Hertfordshire
Bekki, Kenji
Australia, Perth
The University of Western Australia
Cross, Nicholas J.G.
United Kingdom, Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh, Institute for Astronomy
de Blök, Willem J.G.
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
de Grijs, Richard
China, Beijing
Peking University
Emerson, James P.
United Kingdom, London
Queen Mary University of London
Evans, Christopher J.
United Kingdom, Edinburgh
Uk Astronomy Technology Centre
Gibson, Brad K.
United Kingdom, Preston
University of Central Lancashire
Gonzáles-Solares, Eduardo A.
United Kingdom, Cambridge
Institute of Astronomy
Groenewegen, Martin A.T.
Belgium, Brussels
Royal Observatory of Belgium
Irwin, Michael J.
United Kingdom, Cambridge
Institute of Astronomy
Ivanov, Valentin D.
Chile, Santiago
European Southern Observatory Santiago
Lewis, James R.
United Kingdom, Cambridge
Institute of Astronomy
Marconi, Marcella
Italy, Naples
Osservatorio Astronomico Di Capodimonte
Marquette, Jean Baptiste
France, Paris
Sorbonne Université
France, Paris
Institut D’astrophysique de Paris
Mastropietro, C.
France, Paris
Cnrs Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Moore, B.
Switzerland, Zurich
Universität Zürich
Napiwotzki, Ralf
United Kingdom, Hatfield
University of Hertfordshire
Naylor, Tim T.
United Kingdom, Exeter
University of Exeter
Oliveira, Joana M.
United Kingdom, Keele
Keele University
Read, Michael A.
United Kingdom, Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh, Institute for Astronomy
Sutorius, Eckhard T.W.
United Kingdom, Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh, Institute for Astronomy
van Loon, Jacco Th
United Kingdom, Keele
Keele University
Wilkinson, Mark I.
United Kingdom, Leicester
University of Leicester
Wood, Peter R.
Australia, Canberra
Australian National University, Mount Stromlo Observatory
Statistics
Citations: 97
Authors: 34
Affiliations: 24
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1051/0004-6361/201016137
ISSN:
00046361
e-ISSN:
14320746
Research Areas
Health System And Policy
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Quantitative