The BlackGEM Telescope Array. I. Overview

P. J. Groot; S. Bloemen; P. M. Vreeswijk; J. C. J. van Roestel; P. G. Jonker; G. Nelemans; M. Klein-Wolt; R. Lepoole; D. L. A. Pieterse; M. Rodenhuis; W. Boland; M. Haverkorn; C. Aerts; R. Bakker; H. Balster; M. Bekema; E. Dijkstra; P. Dolron; E. Elswijk; A. van Elteren; A. Engels; M. Fokker; M. de Haan; F. Hahn; R. ter Horst; D. Lesman; J. Kragt; J. Morren; H. Nillissen; W. Pessemier; G. Raskin; A. de Rijke; L. H. A. Scheers; M. Schuil; S. T. Timmer; L. Antunes Amaral; E. Arancibia-Rojas; I. Arcavi; N. Blagorodnova; S. Biswas; R. P. Breton; H. Dawson; P. Dayal; S. De Wet; C. Duffy; S. Faris; M. Fausnaugh; A. Gal-Yam; S. Geier; A. Horesh; C. Johnston; G. Katusiime; C. Kelley; A. Kosakowski; T. Kupfer; G. Leloudas; A. Levan; D. Modiano; O. Mogawana; J. Munday; J. Paice; F. Patat; I. Pelisoli; G. Ramsay; P. T. Ranaivomanana; R. Ruiz-Carmona; V. Schaffenroth; S. Scaringi; F. Stoppa; R. Street; H. Tranin; M. Uzundag; S. Valenti; M. Veresvarska; M. Vuc̆ković; H. C. I. Wichern; R. A. M. J. Wijers; R. A. D. Wijnands; E. Zimmerman

doi:10.1088/1538-3873/ad8b6a

The BlackGEM Telescope Array. I. Overview

P. J. Groot, S. Bloemen, P. M. Vreeswijk, J. C. J. van Roestel, P. G. Jonker, G. Nelemans, M. Klein-Wolt, R. Lepoole, D. L. A. Pieterse, M. Rodenhuis, W. Boland, M. Haverkorn, C. Aerts, R. Bakker, H. Balster, M. Bekema, E. Dijkstra, P. Dolron, E. Elswijk, A. van ElterenA. Engels, M. Fokker, M. de Haan, F. Hahn, R. ter Horst, D. Lesman, J. Kragt, J. Morren, H. Nillissen, W. Pessemier, G. Raskin, A. de Rijke, L. H. A. Scheers, M. Schuil, S. T. Timmer, L. Antunes Amaral, E. Arancibia-Rojas, I. Arcavi, N. Blagorodnova, S. Biswas, R. P. Breton, H. Dawson, P. Dayal, S. De Wet, C. Duffy, S. Faris, M. Fausnaugh, A. Gal-Yam, S. Geier, A. Horesh, C. Johnston, G. Katusiime, C. Kelley, A. Kosakowski, T. Kupfer, G. Leloudas, A. Levan, D. Modiano, O. Mogawana, J. Munday, J. Paice, F. Patat, I. Pelisoli, G. Ramsay, P. T. Ranaivomanana, R. Ruiz-Carmona, V. Schaffenroth, S. Scaringi, F. Stoppa, R. Street, H. Tranin, M. Uzundag, S. Valenti, M. Veresvarska, M. Vuc̆ković, H. C. I. Wichern, R. A. M. J. Wijers, R. A. D. Wijnands, E. Zimmerman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

4 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The main science aim of the BlackGEM array is to detect optical counterparts to gravitational wave mergers. Additionally, the array will perform a set of synoptic surveys to detect Local Universe transients and short timescale variability in stars and binaries, as well as a six-filter all-sky survey down to ∼22nd mag. The BlackGEM Phase-I array consists of three optical wide-field unit telescopes. Each unit uses an f/5.5 modified Dall-Kirkham (Harmer-Wynne) design with a triplet corrector lens, and a 65 cm primary mirror, coupled with a 110Mpix CCD detector, that provides an instantaneous field-of-view of 2.7 square degrees, sampled at 0.″564 pixel−1. The total field-of-view for the array is 8.2 square degrees. Each telescope is equipped with a six-slot filter wheel containing an optimised Sloan set (BG-u, BG-g, BG-r, BG-i, BG-z) and a wider-band 440–720 nm (BG-q) filter. Each unit telescope is independent from the others. Cloud-based data processing is done in real time, and includes a transient-detection routine as well as a full-source optimal-photometry module. BlackGEM has been installed at the ESO La Silla observatory as of 2019 October. After a prolonged COVID-19 hiatus, science operations started on 2023 April 1 and will run for five years. Aside from its core scientific program, BlackGEM will give rise to a multitude of additional science cases in multi-colour time-domain astronomy, to the benefit of a variety of topics in astrophysics, such as infant supernovae, luminous red novae, asteroseismology of post-main-sequence objects, (ultracompact) binary stars, and the relation between gravitational wave counterparts and other classes of transients.

Original language	English
Article number	115003
Journal	Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Volume	136
Issue number	11
Number of pages	17
ISSN	0004-6280
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1538-3873/ad8b6a
Publication status	Published - 2024

Keywords

Optical telescopes
Sky surveys
Transient detection
Gravitational wave astronomy

Access to Document

10.1088/1538-3873/ad8b6aLicence: CC BY

FulltextFinal published version, 1.87 MBLicence: CC BY

OpenUrl availability

Full text

Cite this

Groot, P. J., Bloemen, S., Vreeswijk, P. M., Roestel, J. C. J. V., Jonker, P. G., Nelemans, G., Klein-Wolt, M., Lepoole, R., Pieterse, D. L. A., Rodenhuis, M., Boland, W., Haverkorn, M., Aerts, C., Bakker, R., Balster, H., Bekema, M., Dijkstra, E., Dolron, P., Elswijk, E., ... Zimmerman, E. (2024). The BlackGEM Telescope Array. I. Overview. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 136(11), Article 115003. https://doi.org/10.1088/1538-3873/ad8b6a

@article{f8609d02144d43889623c91b850cd77f,

title = "The BlackGEM Telescope Array. I. Overview",

abstract = "The main science aim of the BlackGEM array is to detect optical counterparts to gravitational wave mergers. Additionally, the array will perform a set of synoptic surveys to detect Local Universe transients and short timescale variability in stars and binaries, as well as a six-filter all-sky survey down to ∼22nd mag. The BlackGEM Phase-I array consists of three optical wide-field unit telescopes. Each unit uses an f/5.5 modified Dall-Kirkham (Harmer-Wynne) design with a triplet corrector lens, and a 65 cm primary mirror, coupled with a 110Mpix CCD detector, that provides an instantaneous field-of-view of 2.7 square degrees, sampled at 0.″564 pixel−1. The total field-of-view for the array is 8.2 square degrees. Each telescope is equipped with a six-slot filter wheel containing an optimised Sloan set (BG-u, BG-g, BG-r, BG-i, BG-z) and a wider-band 440–720 nm (BG-q) filter. Each unit telescope is independent from the others. Cloud-based data processing is done in real time, and includes a transient-detection routine as well as a full-source optimal-photometry module. BlackGEM has been installed at the ESO La Silla observatory as of 2019 October. After a prolonged COVID-19 hiatus, science operations started on 2023 April 1 and will run for five years. Aside from its core scientific program, BlackGEM will give rise to a multitude of additional science cases in multi-colour time-domain astronomy, to the benefit of a variety of topics in astrophysics, such as infant supernovae, luminous red novae, asteroseismology of post-main-sequence objects, (ultracompact) binary stars, and the relation between gravitational wave counterparts and other classes of transients.",

keywords = "Optical telescopes, Sky surveys, Transient detection, Gravitational wave astronomy",

author = "Groot, {P. J.} and S. Bloemen and Vreeswijk, {P. M.} and Roestel, {J. C. J. van} and Jonker, {P. G.} and G. Nelemans and M. Klein-Wolt and R. Lepoole and Pieterse, {D. L. A.} and M. Rodenhuis and W. Boland and M. Haverkorn and C. Aerts and R. Bakker and H. Balster and M. Bekema and E. Dijkstra and P. Dolron and E. Elswijk and Elteren, {A. van} and A. Engels and M. Fokker and Haan, {M. de} and F. Hahn and Horst, {R. ter} and D. Lesman and J. Kragt and J. Morren and H. Nillissen and W. Pessemier and G. Raskin and Rijke, {A. de} and Scheers, {L. H. A.} and M. Schuil and Timmer, {S. T.} and Amaral, {L. Antunes} and E. Arancibia-Rojas and I. Arcavi and N. Blagorodnova and S. Biswas and Breton, {R. P.} and H. Dawson and P. Dayal and Wet, {S. De} and C. Duffy and S. Faris and M. Fausnaugh and A. Gal-Yam and S. Geier and A. Horesh and C. Johnston and G. Katusiime and C. Kelley and A. Kosakowski and T. Kupfer and G. Leloudas and A. Levan and D. Modiano and O. Mogawana and J. Munday and J. Paice and F. Patat and I. Pelisoli and G. Ramsay and Ranaivomanana, {P. T.} and R. Ruiz-Carmona and V. Schaffenroth and S. Scaringi and F. Stoppa and R. Street and H. Tranin and M. Uzundag and S. Valenti and M. Veresvarska and M. Vu{\u c}kovi{\'c} and Wichern, {H. C. I.} and Wijers, {R. A. M. J.} and Wijnands, {R. A. D.} and E. Zimmerman",

year = "2024",

doi = "10.1088/1538-3873/ad8b6a",

language = "English",

volume = "136",

journal = "Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific",

issn = "0004-6280",

publisher = "University of Chicago Press",

number = "11",

}

Groot, PJ, Bloemen, S, Vreeswijk, PM, Roestel, JCJV, Jonker, PG, Nelemans, G, Klein-Wolt, M, Lepoole, R, Pieterse, DLA, Rodenhuis, M, Boland, W, Haverkorn, M, Aerts, C, Bakker, R, Balster, H, Bekema, M, Dijkstra, E, Dolron, P, Elswijk, E, Elteren, AV, Engels, A, Fokker, M, Haan, MD, Hahn, F, Horst, RT, Lesman, D, Kragt, J, Morren, J, Nillissen, H, Pessemier, W, Raskin, G, Rijke, AD, Scheers, LHA, Schuil, M, Timmer, ST, Amaral, LA, Arancibia-Rojas, E, Arcavi, I, Blagorodnova, N, Biswas, S, Breton, RP, Dawson, H, Dayal, P, Wet, SD, Duffy, C, Faris, S, Fausnaugh, M, Gal-Yam, A, Geier, S, Horesh, A, Johnston, C, Katusiime, G, Kelley, C, Kosakowski, A, Kupfer, T, Leloudas, G, Levan, A, Modiano, D, Mogawana, O, Munday, J, Paice, J, Patat, F, Pelisoli, I, Ramsay, G, Ranaivomanana, PT, Ruiz-Carmona, R, Schaffenroth, V, Scaringi, S, Stoppa, F, Street, R, Tranin, H, Uzundag, M, Valenti, S, Veresvarska, M, Vuc̆ković, M, Wichern, HCI, Wijers, RAMJ, Wijnands, RAD & Zimmerman, E 2024, 'The BlackGEM Telescope Array. I. Overview', Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, vol. 136, no. 11, 115003. https://doi.org/10.1088/1538-3873/ad8b6a

TY - JOUR

T1 - The BlackGEM Telescope Array. I. Overview

AU - Groot, P. J.

AU - Bloemen, S.

AU - Vreeswijk, P. M.

AU - Roestel, J. C. J. van

AU - Jonker, P. G.

AU - Nelemans, G.

AU - Klein-Wolt, M.

AU - Lepoole, R.

AU - Pieterse, D. L. A.

AU - Rodenhuis, M.

AU - Boland, W.

AU - Haverkorn, M.

AU - Aerts, C.

AU - Bakker, R.

AU - Balster, H.

AU - Bekema, M.

AU - Dijkstra, E.

AU - Dolron, P.

AU - Elswijk, E.

AU - Elteren, A. van

AU - Engels, A.

AU - Fokker, M.

AU - Haan, M. de

AU - Hahn, F.

AU - Horst, R. ter

AU - Lesman, D.

AU - Kragt, J.

AU - Morren, J.

AU - Nillissen, H.

AU - Pessemier, W.

AU - Raskin, G.

AU - Rijke, A. de

AU - Scheers, L. H. A.

AU - Schuil, M.

AU - Timmer, S. T.

AU - Amaral, L. Antunes

AU - Arancibia-Rojas, E.

AU - Arcavi, I.

AU - Blagorodnova, N.

AU - Biswas, S.

AU - Breton, R. P.

AU - Dawson, H.

AU - Dayal, P.

AU - Wet, S. De

AU - Duffy, C.

AU - Faris, S.

AU - Fausnaugh, M.

AU - Gal-Yam, A.

AU - Geier, S.

AU - Horesh, A.

AU - Johnston, C.

AU - Katusiime, G.

AU - Kelley, C.

AU - Kosakowski, A.

AU - Kupfer, T.

AU - Leloudas, G.

AU - Levan, A.

AU - Modiano, D.

AU - Mogawana, O.

AU - Munday, J.

AU - Paice, J.

AU - Patat, F.

AU - Pelisoli, I.

AU - Ramsay, G.

AU - Ranaivomanana, P. T.

AU - Ruiz-Carmona, R.

AU - Schaffenroth, V.

AU - Scaringi, S.

AU - Stoppa, F.

AU - Street, R.

AU - Tranin, H.

AU - Uzundag, M.

AU - Valenti, S.

AU - Veresvarska, M.

AU - Vuc̆ković, M.

AU - Wichern, H. C. I.

AU - Wijers, R. A. M. J.

AU - Wijnands, R. A. D.

AU - Zimmerman, E.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - The main science aim of the BlackGEM array is to detect optical counterparts to gravitational wave mergers. Additionally, the array will perform a set of synoptic surveys to detect Local Universe transients and short timescale variability in stars and binaries, as well as a six-filter all-sky survey down to ∼22nd mag. The BlackGEM Phase-I array consists of three optical wide-field unit telescopes. Each unit uses an f/5.5 modified Dall-Kirkham (Harmer-Wynne) design with a triplet corrector lens, and a 65 cm primary mirror, coupled with a 110Mpix CCD detector, that provides an instantaneous field-of-view of 2.7 square degrees, sampled at 0.″564 pixel−1. The total field-of-view for the array is 8.2 square degrees. Each telescope is equipped with a six-slot filter wheel containing an optimised Sloan set (BG-u, BG-g, BG-r, BG-i, BG-z) and a wider-band 440–720 nm (BG-q) filter. Each unit telescope is independent from the others. Cloud-based data processing is done in real time, and includes a transient-detection routine as well as a full-source optimal-photometry module. BlackGEM has been installed at the ESO La Silla observatory as of 2019 October. After a prolonged COVID-19 hiatus, science operations started on 2023 April 1 and will run for five years. Aside from its core scientific program, BlackGEM will give rise to a multitude of additional science cases in multi-colour time-domain astronomy, to the benefit of a variety of topics in astrophysics, such as infant supernovae, luminous red novae, asteroseismology of post-main-sequence objects, (ultracompact) binary stars, and the relation between gravitational wave counterparts and other classes of transients.

AB - The main science aim of the BlackGEM array is to detect optical counterparts to gravitational wave mergers. Additionally, the array will perform a set of synoptic surveys to detect Local Universe transients and short timescale variability in stars and binaries, as well as a six-filter all-sky survey down to ∼22nd mag. The BlackGEM Phase-I array consists of three optical wide-field unit telescopes. Each unit uses an f/5.5 modified Dall-Kirkham (Harmer-Wynne) design with a triplet corrector lens, and a 65 cm primary mirror, coupled with a 110Mpix CCD detector, that provides an instantaneous field-of-view of 2.7 square degrees, sampled at 0.″564 pixel−1. The total field-of-view for the array is 8.2 square degrees. Each telescope is equipped with a six-slot filter wheel containing an optimised Sloan set (BG-u, BG-g, BG-r, BG-i, BG-z) and a wider-band 440–720 nm (BG-q) filter. Each unit telescope is independent from the others. Cloud-based data processing is done in real time, and includes a transient-detection routine as well as a full-source optimal-photometry module. BlackGEM has been installed at the ESO La Silla observatory as of 2019 October. After a prolonged COVID-19 hiatus, science operations started on 2023 April 1 and will run for five years. Aside from its core scientific program, BlackGEM will give rise to a multitude of additional science cases in multi-colour time-domain astronomy, to the benefit of a variety of topics in astrophysics, such as infant supernovae, luminous red novae, asteroseismology of post-main-sequence objects, (ultracompact) binary stars, and the relation between gravitational wave counterparts and other classes of transients.

KW - Optical telescopes

KW - Sky surveys

KW - Transient detection

KW - Gravitational wave astronomy

U2 - 10.1088/1538-3873/ad8b6a

DO - 10.1088/1538-3873/ad8b6a

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0004-6280

VL - 136

JO - Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

JF - Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

IS - 11

M1 - 115003

ER -

The BlackGEM Telescope Array. I. Overview

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

OpenUrl availability

Fingerprint

Cite this