Status of SuperWASP I (La Palma)

Abstract

Abstract SuperWASP is an ultra‐wide field (over 300 sq. degrees) photometric survey project designed to monitor stars between 7 – 15 mag to high precision and with high cadence over long (≥2 months) timescales. The primary science goal of this project is the detection of exoplanetary transits, as well as NEOs and optical transients. The resulting photometric catalogue will be made public via a web‐based interface. The SuperWASP instrument consists of an array of cameras each with a 7.8° × 7.8° field of view, guided by a robotic fork mount and sited in a fibreglass enclosure at the Observatorio de Roque de los Muchachos (ORM), La Palma, Canary Islands. In this progress report, we describe the specifications of the instrument, its semi‐automated operation and pipeline data reduction. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)