Searching for Variable Stars Using the Large Array Survey Telescope (LAST)

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel variability report generator developed for the Large Array Survey Telescope (LAST), a cost-effective multi-purpose telescope array conducting a wide survey of the variable sky in the visible-light spectrum. Designed to automate variability detection, the report generator identifies candidate variable stars by employing adjustable thresholds to detect periodic and non-periodic variables. The program outputs a visual and tabular photometric report for each candidate variable source from a given LAST sub-image. Functioning as a whitepaper, this document also provides a concise overview of LAST, discussing its design, data workflow, and variability search performance.