DOE OSTI · 3007405
47 Tuc in Rubin Data Preview 1. Exploring Early LSST Data and Science Potential
Abstract
We present analyses of the early data from Rubin Observatory’s Data Preview 1 (DP1) for the field of the globular cluster 47 Tuc. The DP1 data set for 47 Tuc includes four nights of observations from the Rubin Commissioning Camera (LSSTComCam), covering multiple bands (ugriy). We address challenges of crowding in the inner region of the cluster and toward the SMC in DP1, and demonstrate improved star–galaxy separation by fitting fifth-degree polynomials to the stellar loci in color–color diagrams and applying multidimensional sigma clipping. We compile a catalog of 3576 probable 47 Tuc member stars selected via a combination of isochrone, Gaia proper-motion, and color–color space matched filtering. We explore the sources of photometric scatter in the 47 Tuc color–color sequence, evaluating contributions from various potential sources, including differential extinction within the cluster. Finally, of the 72 well-characterized variables in the field, we recover three known variable stars, including two RR Lyrae and one eclipsing binary, in the coadd-based object catalog, and identify 62 in the difference image-based object catalog. Although the DP1 lightcurves have sparse temporal sampling, they appear to follow the patterns of densely sampled literature lightcurves well. Despite some data limitations for crowded-field stellar analysis, DP1 demonstrates the promising scientific potential for future LSST data releases.
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Choi, Yumi [NSF National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab), Tucson, AZ (United States)] (ORCID:0000000316801884), Olsen, Knut A. G. [NSF National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab), Tucson, AZ (United States)] (ORCID:0000000271348296), Carlin, Jeffrey L. [NSF National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab), Tucson, AZ (United States); NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory HQ, Tucson, AZ (United States)] (ORCID:0000000239369628), Wang, Yuankun [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000155380395), Moolekamp, Fred [soZen Inc., Penfield, NY (United States)] (ORCID:0000000300934279), Saha, Abhijit [NSF National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab), Tucson, AZ (United States)] (ORCID:0000000268394881), Sullivan, Ian [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Vera C. Rubin Observatory, Coquimbo Region (Chile)], Slater, Colin T. [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000205580521), Tucker, Douglas L. [Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)] (ORCID:0000000172115729), Adair, Christina L. [SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States); Stanford Univ., CA (United States)] (ORCID:000900088623871X), Ferguson, Peter S. [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000169571627), Kang, Yijung [SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States); Stanford Univ., CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000252615803), Peña Ramírez, Karla [National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab), La Serena (Chile); Vera C. Rubin Observatory, La Serena (Chile)] (ORCID:000000025855401X), Rabus, Markus [Univ. Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción (Chile)] (ORCID:0000000329357196). 2025-10-06. 47 Tuc in Rubin Data Preview 1. Exploring Early LSST Data and Science Potential. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357%2Fadfb70
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