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Sako Lab
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The lab captures a universe that changes on timescales of seconds, using observation instruments it builds itself.
AboutAbout the lab
Observing a changing universe with instruments built in-house
Sako Lab studies optical and infrared time-domain astronomy, tracking celestial objects whose appearance changes over short timescales.
Phenomena that change on timescales of seconds have so far been poorly explored, and the targets include meteors, small bodies, and sudden explosive events.
The lab continuously images the sky with instruments such as Tomo-e Gozen, a wide-field video camera mounted on the Kiso Schmidt Telescope.
A distinguishing feature of the group is that it develops the observation instruments and detectors themselves.
Key terms
- time-domain astronomy
- The branch of astronomy that follows objects whose brightness or position changes over time and studies those changes themselves
- supernova
- A huge explosion at the end of a massive star's life. It brightens suddenly and then fades gradually over time
- CMOS sensor
- A semiconductor device, used in digital cameras and similar products, that converts light into electrical signals. Its fast readout also allows it to capture video
NewsLab news
Information on lab visits and meetings for prospective graduate students is now available
Associate Professor Sako receives the Yoshida Shoichiro Memorial Nikon Award for Astronomical Achievement
ResearchResearch themes
The lab observes astronomical phenomena that change on timescales of seconds and have been poorly explored. Its strength is that it has its own telescope and can develop its own observation instruments and detectors.
*Illustrative imageObjects and phenomena studied
Observation targets include faint meteors, small bodies of the Solar System, sites where stars and planets form, supernovae and other high-energy explosive phenomena, and counterparts of gravitational-wave sources.
*Illustrative imageDevelopment of observation instruments
The lab builds instruments for wide-field imaging, spectroscopy, and polarimetry in visible light and infrared. It also develops observation systems that operate ground-based telescopes remotely and autonomously.
*Illustrative imageDevelopment of detectors
The lab develops systems for reading out large visible-light and infrared array sensors. It also evaluates the performance of CMOS and SPAD sensors that can capture high-speed video.
*Illustrative imageSoftware development
The lab has built detection pipelines for transient and moving objects from the large volume of Tomo-e Gozen survey data at Kiso. It actively incorporates machine learning. It also has a track record of developing control software for detectors and instrument drive units.
MembersFaculty
Sako Lab's members include faculty members, researchers, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorShigeyuki SakoPublications ↗
- Project Assistant Professor瀧田 怜
VoicesStudent voices
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RelatedLabs similar to Sako Lab
Miyata LabFaculty of Science, Department of AstronomyInfrared astronomy (development of infrared observation inst…
Motohara LabFaculty of Science, Department of AstronomyInfrared astronomy and galactic astronomy (development of in…
Sakon LabFaculty of Science, Department of AstronomyInfrared astronomy, laboratory astrophysics, and time-domain…
Minezaki LabFaculty of Science, Department of AstronomyInfrared and optical astronomy (active galactic nuclei, coev…The information on this page is compiled by the LabLog team from the lab's public information and interviews. For corrections or removal requests, please contact LabLog, not the lab.
Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “The Test-Bed Telescope 2 dome at night (eso2107h)” F. Ocaña/J. Isabel/Quasar SR / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Objects and phenomena studied: “Night sky near Flagstaff with meteor” Coconino National Forest / Public domain (cropped)
- Development of observation instruments: “8.2-m primary mirror of Yepun, Unit Telescope 4 of ESO's Very Large Telescope” ESO/G. Huedepohl / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Development of detectors: “Active pixel sensor prototype” Uploaded by Michael Schmid（PD NASA） / Public domain (cropped)
- Software development: “Optical coating - Thin film coating - Stripe Filter - CILAS” CILAS / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Miyata Lab): “Wolf-Rayet 140 (Webb-MIRI)” NASA/ESA/CSA/STScl/JPL-Caltech / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Motohara Lab): “Hubble-ultra-deep-field-20091208-WFC3-IR-full” NASA / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Sakon Lab): “Tarantula Nebula Spitzer 2 (Color Image) - PIA23646” NASA/JPL-Caltech / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Minezaki Lab): “NGC 4151 - HST” Judy Schmidt from USA / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
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