Pan-STARRS: Mapping the universe with the world's most powerful camera

In September 2006, Astronomers from the Institute for Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, in conjunction with several other major research institutions in Europe and America, signed an agreement with astronomers at the University of Hawaii to use the most advanced telescope system ever built for rapid imaging of the sky.

Sited on Haleakala on the island of Maui, the Pan-STARRS 1 Telescope (PS1), is expected to discover billions of new stars, galaxies and solar system objects. It will study the farthest reaches of the universe, mapping 'dark matter' on scales of 100 Million light years. PS1 will also survey nearby space for 'killer asteroids' and comets that could collide with the Earth in the future, so-called Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). The Pan-STARRS Science Consortium web pages give a comprehensive list of the world-leading science projects that this telescope will make possible.

Professor John Peacock, of the University of Edinburgh, described the plans to use PS1 to study the large-scale distribution of galaxies: "Pan-STARRS will give us the largest ever three-dimensional picture of the universe. There are huge patterns in the galaxy distribution that were generated in the first instants of the big bang, so we're able to look back in time to the origins of all structures in the universe - from galaxies down to stars and planets. Working with Pan-STARRS will put us right at the forefront of this research, and the next few years should be really exciting."

The universe contains much more than the visible galaxies, which are embedded in 'dark matter' of an unknown nature. This matter reveals itself because its gravity bends light rays, distorting the images of distant galaxies. Professor Alan Heavens, of the University of Edinburgh, plans to use this 'gravitational lensing' effect to study the dark matter: "Gravitational lensing is expected to be one of the big growth areas in cosmology over the next few years, and it gives us unique insights into the different kinds of energy in the universe". His colleague, Dr Andy Taylor, added: "We've worked hard on the theory of gravitational lensing for the past decade, and it's wonderful that we will now get to apply this method to the best data in the world".

By monitoring most of the sky every week, Pan-STARRS will also become the world's leading search for exploding stars called supernovae. A supernova is a fantastically energetic explosion at the end of the life of a very massive star. They are a billion times brighter than the sun and can be seen in the distant Universe. As Professor Peacock comments: "This is just another example of the fantastic science that Pan-STARRS makes possible. It's going to have a huge impact on every area of astronomy that we study at Edinburgh".

Having achieved 'First Light' in June of 2006, the PS1 telescope will be fitted with the world's largest digital camera, constructed at the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy in Manoa, under the leadership of John Tonry. With a resolution of 1.4 billion pixels, about 300 times as many as a typical commercial digital unit, the camera will be used to capture images generated by the telescope's mirror, which measures 1.8 metres in diameter.

Developed by astronomers at the University of Hawaii, Pan-STARRS is the first stage of the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System project, which is the brainchild of IfAs Nick Kaiser. The consortium will contribute about $10M to cover the cost of operating the telescope in Hawaii, whic h has been constructed at a cost of about $40M. Further information on the project can be found at http://pan-starrs.ifa.hawaii.edu/public/.