We present the results from B-, R-, I-, J- and H-band observations of the NEP-Wide survey field. The NEP-Wide survey is an AKARI survey of the North Ecliptic Pole covering ~ 5 square degrees area. Our optical/NIR imaging supports the AKARI IR imaging data by providing a crucial coverage in the optical/NIR. The optical data were obtained in 2007 using the 1.5 m telescope and SNUCAM at Maidanak Observatory, Uzbekistan. The NIR data were obtained in 2008 with FLAMINGOS on the KPNO 2.1 m telescope. We used IRAF, SExtractor, SCAMP, and SWarp for reducing the raw data, I-band fringe pattern removal, astrometry, standard photometry calibration, and source detection. Our optical-NIR data reach the depths of B ~ 23.4, R ~ 23.1, I ~ 22.3, J ~ 21.05, and H ~ 20.64 AB mag at 5-sigma. Here, we present the astrometric accuracy, galaxy number counts, completeness, and reliability, as well as redshift tracks of some normal galaxies and quasars on the B - R vs. R - I color-color diagram. The photometric data are being used for identifying optical counterparts of the IR data provided by AKARI, studying their SEDs, and selecting interesting objects for spectroscopic follow-up studies.

We develop a proto-model of an off-axis reflective telescope for infrared wide-field observations based on the design of Schwarzschild-Chang type telescope. With only two mirrors, this design achieves an entrance pupil diameter of 50 mm and an effective focal length of 100 mm. We can apply this design to a mid-infrared telescope with a field of view of 8 ̊ X 8 ̊. In spite of the substantial advantages of off-axis telescopes in the infrared compared to refractive or on-axis reflective telescopes, it is known to be difficult to align the mirrors in off-axis systems because of their asymmetric structures. Off-axis mirrors of our telescope are manufactured at the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI). We analyze the fabricated mirror surfaces by fitting polynomial functions to the measured data. We accomplish alignment of this two-mirror off-axis system using a ray tracing method. A simple imaging test is performed to compare a pinhole image with a simulated prediction.

We used Subaru observations of A1689 (z = 0.183) to derive an accurate, model-independent mass profile for the entire cluster, r ≾ 2Mpc/h, by combining magnification bias and distortion measurements. The projected mass profile steepens quickly with increasing radius, falling away to zero at r ~1.0Mpc/h, well short of the anticipated virial radius. Our profile accurately matches onto the inner profile, r ≾ 200kpc/ h, derived from deep HST / ACS images. The combined ACS and Subaru information is well fitted by an NFW profile with virial mass, (1.93 ± 0.20) X 1015M⊙, and surprisingly high concentration, Cvir = 13.7+1.4-1.1, significantly larger than theoretically expected (Cvir ≃4), corresponding to a relatively steep overall profile. These results are based on a reliable sample of background galaxies selected to be redder than the cluster E/SO sequence. By including the faint blue galaxy population a much smaller distortion signal is found, demonstrating that blue cluster members significantly dilute the true signal for r ≾ 400kpc/ h. This contamination is likely to affect most weak lensing results to date.

We present the design, expected performance, and current status of the wide field near-infrared camera (OAOWFC) now being developed at Okayama Astrophysical Observatory, NAOJ, NINS. OAOWFC is a near-infrared survey telescope whose effective aperture is 91cm. It works at Y, J, H, and Ks bands and is dedicated to the survey of long period variable stars in the Galactic plane. The field of view is 0.95 X 0.95 deg2 which is covered by one HAWAII-2 RG detector of 2048 X 2048 pixels with the pixel size of 18.5 μm X 18.5 μm, that results in the sampling pitch of 1.6 arcsec/pixel. OAOWFC can sweep the area of 840 deg2 every 3 weeks, attaining a limiting magnitude of 13 in Ks band. It allows us to observe long period variables embedded in the Galactic plane where interstellar extinction is severe in optical.

We present the first results of a wide field survey for planetary nebulae throughout M31 undertaken at the KPNO 0.9m telescope with the Mosaic camera. So far, images in [O III]⋋5007 and its continuum filter have been analyzed. Our survey appears to be at least 90% complete to about 2 mag below the peak of the planetary nebula luminosity function. Over 900 planetary nebulae candidates have been found within a 12 square degree area.

We have developed a wide-field imaging camera system, called WICZO, to monitor light of the night sky over extended period. Such monitoring is necessary for studying the morphology of interplanetary dust cloud and also the time and spatial variations of airglow emission. The system consists of an electric cooler a CCD camera with 60% quantum efficiency at 500nm, and a fish-eye lens with 180 ̊ field of view. Wide field imaging is highly desired in light of the night sky observations in general, because the zodiacal light and the airglow emission extend over the entire sky. This paper illustrates the design of WICZO, reports the result of its laboratory performance test, and presents the first night sky image, which was taken, under collaboration with Byulmaro Observatory, on top of Mt. Bongrae at Yongweol in January, 2004.