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Session 13 - Surveys, SETI and Pollution.
Display session, Monday, June 08
Atlas Ballroom,
Sky monitoring ability is developing rapidly along six major fronts: angular size, faintness, wavelength, angular resolution, spectral resolution, and temporal resolution. In this paper reasonable parameters of near-future continuous all-sky monitors with high temporal resolution in visible light are discussed. Limits are derived from likely CCD ability, data storage capability, and canonically sustainable budgets typical of research projects supported by national and university funds. Using current limits, we conclude that it will soon be feasible to continually monitor the entire sky down to visual magnitude of 16. Possible scientific returns include a running database of most known or suspected variable stars, establishing case histories for variables of future interest, uncovering new forms of stellar variability, discovering the brightest cases of microlensing, monitoring known Solar System objects, meteor and space debris surveys, tropospheric and stratospheric phenomena, and discovering new comets and minor-planets.
