Testing and data reduction of the Chinese Small Telescope Array (CSTAR) for Dome A, Antarctica

Abstract

The Chinese Small Telescope Array (CSTAR) is the first Chinese astronomical instrument on the Antarctic ice cap. The low temperature and low pressure testing of the data acquisition system was carried out in a laboratory refrigerator and on the 4500 m Pamirs high plateau, respectively. The results from the final four nights of test observations demonstrated that CSTAR was ready for operation at Dome A, Antarctica. In this paper, we present a description of CSTAR and the performance derived from the test observations. 2010 National Astronomical Observatories of Chinese Academy of Sciences and IOP Publishing Ltd.