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arXiv · 2610.36707

Overview And Present Status Of The 4-m International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT)

Jean Surdej·Bhavya Ailawadhi·Talat Akhunov·Monalisa Dubey·Naveen Dukiya·Sara Filali·Paul Hickson·Priyanshi Kumari·Gokul Singh Mehra·Kuntal Misra·Vibhore Negi·Anna Pospieszalska-Surdej·Kumar Pranshu·Sarvesh Yadav
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Abstract

The International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) is an inexpensive optical instrument with a diameter of 4 metres, entirely dedicated to astronomical surveys. Its scientific programmes include the detection and study of transients, variable objects, asteroids, comets, low surface brightness galaxies, space debris, etc. The telescope achieved its first light on 29 April 2022 and was officially inaugurated on 21 March 2023. It has been operating regularly since October 2023 and continuously observes the sky passing through the zenith using the SDSS $g^{\prime}$, $r^{\prime}$, and $i^{\prime}$ filters in a narrow band of the sky ($22.3^{\prime}$) centred around the equatorial declination of $+29°21^{\prime}41^{\prime \prime}$. Here we report on the astrometric and photometric performance of the ILMT and summarise the main results obtained since the BINA3 workshop. A great way to raise public awareness is to build a scale model of a liquid mirror telescope. General guidelines for doing so are provided.

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Jean Surdej, Bhavya Ailawadhi, Talat Akhunov, Monalisa Dubey, Naveen Dukiya, Sara Filali, Paul Hickson, Priyanshi Kumari, Gokul Singh Mehra, Kuntal Misra, Vibhore Negi, Anna Pospieszalska-Surdej, Kumar Pranshu, Sarvesh Yadav. 2026-10-27. Overview And Present Status Of The 4-m International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT). https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.36707

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