The Robotic MAAO 0.7 m Telescope System: Performance and Standard Photometric System

Abstract

We introduce a 0.7 m telescope system at the Miryang Arirang Astronomical Observatory (MAAO), a public observatory in Miryang, Korea. System integration and a scheduling program enable the 0.7 m telescope system to operate completely robotically during nighttime, eliminating the need for human intervention. Using the 0.7 m telescope system, we obtain atmospheric extinction coefficients and the zero-point magnitudes by observing standard stars. As a result, we find that atmospheric extinctions are moderate but they can sometimes increase depending on the weather conditions. The measured 5σ limiting magnitudes reach down to BVRI = 19.4–19.6 AB mag for a point source with a total integrated time of 10 minutes under clear weather conditions, demonstrating comparable performance with other observational facilities operating under similar specifications and sky conditions. We expect that the newly established MAAO 0.7 m telescope system will contribute significantly to the observational studies of astronomy. Particularly, with its capability for robotic observations, this system, although its primary duty is for public viewing, can be extensively used for the time-series observation of transients.