AN AUTOMATED ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY FOR ANTARCTICA

Conditions on the high Antarctic Plateau would appear to be extremely favourable for a wide range of astronomical research. Before a decisio n can be made on constructing an observatory, data are required on sit e conditions at the most promising locations. To enable these data to Se collected, a Lockheed Automated Geophysical Observatory is being pu rchased. This facility will be fitted with a suite of astronomical sit e-testing instruments, and deployed to several sites on the Antarctic Plateau. This program will allow a definitive assessment of the site c onditions to be made by the end of this century.