The 3^rd ILMT Workshop 2026

About the 4m International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT)

The ILMT, located at the Devasthal Observatory of ARIES, is a unique 4-m zenith-pointing telescope that employs a rotating liquid mercury mirror. Developed through a collaboration between institutes in India, Belgium, and Canada, the ILMT conducts regular sky surveys in the SDSS g',r', and i' filters, enabling the discovery and study of variable and transient objects such as supernovae. The telescope achieved first light on 29 April 2022 and was formally inaugurated on 21 March 2023, and is now carrying out routine science observations.

The 3^rd ILMT Workshop 2026

The workshop will be hosted by ARIES, Nainital, from 9 - 13 March 2026. This workshop is open to students in the final year of their M.Sc. (Physics/Astrophysics), the fifth year of their BS-MS (Physics), and Ph.D. (Physics/Astrophysics) students up to their third year. The selected number of participants will be restricted to 25.

With the ILMT in regular operation since April 2022, it generates vast amounts of high-cadence astronomical data, making it a powerful tool for time-domain studies. This workshop aims to train young researchers in handling and analysing ILMT data, focusing on a wide range of astrophysical objects and phenomena. Some of these include, but are not limited to, the study of supernovae, gravitational lenses, Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs), variable stars, low-surface-brightness (LSB) galaxies, and asteroids. Additionally, the workshop will delve into the challenges and opportunities of using data from a survey telescope like the ILMT for various science cases.

Topics to be covered

The workshop will cover essential data processing techniques, including image preprocessing, astrometric and photometric calibration, and image subtraction—critical tools for analysing astronomical images. Special emphasis will be placed on learning the principles of light curve extraction and time-series analysis to study astrophysical sources. Participants will also be introduced to advanced techniques, such as machine learning, for transient detection and classification. A dedicated session on identifying and tracking space debris will focus on the methods and techniques used to monitor and characterise space debris using ILMT's continuous sky monitoring capabilities. The workshop will familiarise participants with the role of sky surveys in the broader landscape of time-domain astronomy, highlighting ILMT's contribution to such surveys.

Travel and accommodation support

Free shared accommodation and meals will be provided to the selected participants at the ARIES Manora campus, from one day before to one day after the workshop. Travel support will also be provided to selected participants (bus/sleeper-class train fare for MSc/BS-MS students and bus/second AC train fare for PhD students.).