The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey

I. Introduction and observational overview^⋆

¹ UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ, UK
e-mail: chris.evans@stfc.ac.uk
² Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ, UK
³ Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek, University of Amsterdam, Kruislaan 403, 1098 SJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
⁴ Astronomical Institute, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584CC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
⁵ Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, 38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
⁶ Departamento de Astrofísica, Universidad de La Laguna, 38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
⁷ European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 1307, Casilla, 19001, Santiago 19, Chile
⁸ Excellence Cluster Universe, Boltzmannstr. 2, 85748 Garching, Germany
⁹ School of Physics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK
¹⁰ Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Armagh, BT61 9DG, Northern Ireland, UK
¹¹ Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, National Observatory of Athens, I. Metaxa & Vas. Pavlou Street, P. Penteli 15236, Greece
¹² European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, 87548, Garching bei Munchen, Germany
¹³ Harvard-Smithsonian CfA, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
¹⁴ University of Vienna, Department of Astronomy, Türkenschanzstr. 17, 1180 Vienna, Austria
¹⁵ Argelander-Institut für Astronomie der Universität Bonn, Auf dem Hügel 71, 53121 Bonn, Germany
¹⁶ Department of Physics and Astronomy, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
¹⁷ Departamento de Astronomia, Universidad de Chile, Camino el Observatorio 1515, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
¹⁸ Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, Hounsfield Road, University of Sheffield, S3 7RH, UK
¹⁹ Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
²⁰ Department of Physics & Astronomy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, UK
²¹ Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0HA, UK
²² Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
²³ ESA/STScI, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
²⁴ Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía-CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, 18008 Granada, Spain
²⁵ Institute of Astronomy with NAO,Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, PO Box 136, 4700 Smoljan, Bulgaria
²⁶ Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. de Torrejón a Ajalvir km-4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
²⁷ Universitäts-Sternwarte, Scheinerstrasse 1, 81679 Munchen, Germany
²⁸ Faulkes Telescope Project, University of Glamorgan, Pontypridd, CF37 1DL, Wales, UK
²⁹ Astrophysics Group, School of Physical & Geographical Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK

Received: 25 February 2011
Accepted: 26 March 2011

Abstract

The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey (VFTS) is an ESO Large Programme that has obtained multi-epoch optical spectroscopy of over 800 massive stars in the 30 Doradus region of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Here we introduce our scientific motivations and give an overview of the survey targets, including optical and near-infrared photometry and comprehensive details of the data reduction. One of the principal objectives was to detect massive binary systems via variations in their radial velocities, thus shaping the multi-epoch observing strategy. Spectral classifications are given for the massive emission-line stars observed by the survey, including the discovery of a new Wolf-Rayet star (VFTS 682, classified as WN5h), 2′ to the northeast of R136. To illustrate the diversity of objects encompassed by the survey, we investigate the spectral properties of sixteen targets identified by Gruendl & Chu from Spitzer photometry as candidate young stellar objects or stars with notable mid-infrared excesses. Detailed spectral classification and quantitative analysis of the O- and B-type stars in the VFTS sample, paying particular attention to the effects of rotational mixing and binarity, will be presented in a series of future articles to address fundamental questions in both stellar and cluster evolution.