YALO

The YALO organizing committee on-site at CTIO. From left, Darren Depoy (OSU), Charles Bailyn (Yale), Rene Mendez (CTIO), Rui Agostinho (Lisbon).

The YALO consortium consists of astronomers at

Yale University
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)
Lisbon University, Portugal
Ohio State University

YALO operates the Yale 1m telescope at the Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory. The basic time distribution is 30% for each of the universities, and 10% for the US national community distributed through NOAO. Recently, NOAO has acquired some of OSU's share in exchange for an IR detector. For details of the time distribution, and how to apply for community time, click here. Phase II information for accepted proposals can be found here.

Permanently mounted on the telescope is the ANDICAM instrument, constructed by the Ohio State astronomical instrumentation group. This instrument provides simultaneous optical and infrared imaging of the same part of the sky, by using a dichroic with a CCD and a HgCdTe array. A movable mirror allows dithering in the IR while an optical exposure is going on.

YALO operates a queue, in which a queue manager from one of the universities sends instructions to an on-site observer every day. Since the queue can be modified daily, it is ideal for long-term monitoring programs, and Targets of Opportunity. Among the science programs currently being carried out by Yale astronomers at YALO are

optical monitoring of black hole candidates and other soft X-ray transients

follow-up of sources found by QUEST

OSU is using YALO as one node in the PLANET microlensing network, and information about Lisbon-based YALO projects can be found here.

Publications using YALO data obtained during Yale's time include:

Bailyn et al. 1999 "The First Year of Operation of the YALO Consortium", AAS 195.8706B.
Bailyn et al. 2001 "V1333 Aquilae" IAUC 7646; IAUC 7671.
Bailyn 2002 "Peculiar Variable in Monoceros" IAUC 7791.
Ferrin et al. 2001 "Discovery of the Bright Trans-Neptunian Object 2000 EB173" ApJ, 548, L243.
Greene et al. 2001 "Optical and Infrared Photometry of the Micro-quasar GRO J1655-40 in Quiescence" ApJ, 554, 43.
Harrison et al. 1999 "Optical and Radio Observations of the Afterglow from GRB 990510: Evidence for a Jet", ApJ, 523, L121.
Jain et al. 2001 "Multi-wavelength Observations of the Black Hole Candidate XTE J1550-564 During the 2000 Outburst", ApJ, 554, L181.
Jain, Bailyn & Tomsick 2001 "XTE J1550-564", IAUC 7575.
Jain et al. 2001 "Optical Observations of the Black Hole Candidate XTE J1550-564 During Reflare and Quiescence", ApJ, 546, 1086.
Jain et al. 2000 "Mini-outburst of Aql X-1", A.Tel. 59; IAUC 7423, 7429.
Jain et al. 2000 "Optical Observations of the Orbital Period of the Black Hole Candidate XTE J1550-564 During Re-flare and Quiescence", AAS 196.3805J.
Jain & Bailyn 2000 "XTE J1550-564", IAUC 7400.
Jain et al. 1999 "XTE J1550-564", IAUC 7020; 7025; 7114; 7161; 7187.
Jain et al. 1999 "X-Ray Nova XTE J1550-564: Optical Observations", ApJ 517, 131L.
Jain et al. 1999 "Optical Outburst of Aql X-1" A.Tel. 41.
Jain et al. 1999 "Optical Monitoring of XTE J1550-56 and Aql X-1" HEAD 31, 1529.
Jain et al. 1998 "X-ray and Optical Observations of the Black Hole Candidate XTE J1550-564" AAS 193.4302.
McKenzie & Schaefer 1998 "The Late-Time Lightcurve of SN 1998BW Associated with GRB 980425" PASP 111, 964.
Platais et al. 2000 "Nova Velorum 1999 = V382 Vel: Astrometry and Photometry", PASP, 112, 224.
Orosz et al. 1998 "XTE J1550-564" IAUC 7009; A. Tel. 34, 35.
Orosz et al. 2001 "Infrared Observations of the Neutron Star X-ray Transient KS 1731-26", A. Tel. 75.
Schaefer et al. 1999 "Discovery of the Optical Transient of GRB 990308", ApJ 524, 103.
Schaefer & Tourtellotte 2001 "Photometric Light Curve for Nereid in 1998: A Prominent Opposition Surge", Icarus, 151, 112.
Wachter et al. 2000 "The Reappearance of the Transient Low-Mass X-ray Binary X1658-298" ApJ 534, 367.
Wachter et al. 2002 "A Closer Look at the X-ray Transient X1608-52: Long Term Optical/X-ray Observations", ApJ, 568, 901.