CARA Home Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica


Virtual Tour - AASTO


The Automated Astrophysical Site-Testing Observatory (AASTO), is a self-powered, self-heated autonomous laboratory. It is currently operational at South Pole station, and will later be deployed to remote, uninhabited sites on the high Antarctic plateau. It is being fitted with a suite of astronomical site-testing instruments, so that potential observatory sites can be fully characterized over a wide range of wavelengths.

For more technical information about AASTO and other site characterization tests, please visit our page on AASTO and our page on site testing. For pictures and information from the group itself, including a nearly-live image from the facility, see the group's website -- they have a live webcam that posts live pictures of the site at the South Pole.

We are working on getting more images soon.

A view of the AASTO building. Photo: CARA/D.A. Harper

The inside of the AASTO building. Photo: CARA/D.A. Harper

The power source for the AASTO instruments. Photo: CARA/D.A. Harper

Propane tanks stored as fuel for AASTO. Note the other buildings of the Dark Sector behind the tanks. Note also the stiff wind affecting the American flag... Photo: CARA/D.A. Harper

Another view of the AASTO building, this one from the MAPO building. Photo courtesy Robert Schwarz.


Go back to the map of the Dark Sector.


VTour Logo Return to Virtual Tour Home Page. | Virtual Tour Site Map.


[Home] [About CARA] [Research] [Education & Outreach]
[Virtual Tour] [southpole.edu] [Search this Site] [CARAweb Site Map]
CARA's research and education programs are supported in part by the National Science Foundation under a cooperative agreement, grant number NSF OPP 89-20223. © Copyright 1998,1999,2000 by Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica. This copyright applies to all web pages and images created by CARA.

Questions? Comments? email us at caraweb@astro.uchicago.edu
Last modified Saturday, 02-Oct-1999 12:03:58 CDT
http://astro.uchicago.edu/cara/vtour/pole/darksector/aasto/index.html