| Description: | In the optical bands, time domain astronomy (TDA) is now in full swing. Optical TDA is the principal driver in astro-informatics now. In this informal talk, I will first summarize the PTF->ZTF story and then share my thoughts on the next phase of optical TDA. In my view radio TDA is about a decade behind and it would be useful to discuss, following my talk, the lessons learnt from optical TDA (so that the same mistakes are not made by radio astronomers).
The image shows an areal view of the Palomar Observatory (California). The discovery engine is the 48-inch telescope (extreme left) and the photometric classification is done at the 60-inch telescope (extreme right). Spectral classification is undertaken at the 200-inch telescope (center). The very first synoptic survey undertaken with a wide field Schmidt telescope was F. Zwicky's 18-inch and is the small dome to the right of the 200-inch. |
