Editing CERN Axion Solar Telescope (section)

{{short description|Experiment in astroparticle physics, sited at CERN in Switzerland}}

{{Infobox organization
|name= CERN Axion Solar Telescope 
|image        = Cast3.jpg
|image_size  = 
|caption      = RADES detector at CAST
|headquarters = [[Geneva]], Switzerland
|leader_title = Spokesperson
|leader_name  = Konstantin Zioutas
|formation    = Approved on 13 April 2000
| status        = Taking data since 18 June 2003
| purpose = Search for dark matter and energy
| fields        = Astroparticle physics
| successor     = [[International Axion Observatory]]
|website      = {{url|http://cast.web.cern.ch/CAST/}}
}}

[[Image:CAST-Experiment.jpg|thumb|CAST. The telescope magnet (blue) pivots about the right-hand side, while the yellow gantry on the left of the picture rolls along a circular track in the floor and raises and lowers the left-hand side to track the sun. |alt=A warehouse interior containing a long blue cylinder surrounded by scaffolding and plumbing.]]

The '''CERN Axion Solar Telescope''' ('''CAST''') is an experiment in [[astroparticle physics]] to search for [[axion]]s originating from the [[Sun]]. The experiment, sited at [[CERN]] in Switzerland, was commissioned in 1999 and came online in 2002 with the first data-taking run starting in May 2003. The successful detection of solar axions would constitute a major discovery in [[particle physics]], and would also open up a brand new window on the [[astrophysics]] of the solar core.

CAST is currently the most sensitive axion helioscope.<ref>{{cite arXiv|last1=Vogel|first1=J. K.|last2=Avignone|first2=F. T.|last3=Cantatore|first3=G.|last4=Carmona|first4=J. M.|last5=Caspi|first5=S.|last6=Cetin|first6=S. A.|last7=Christensen|first7=F. E.|last8=Dael|first8=A.|last9=Dafni|first9=T.|last10=Davenport|first10=M.|last11=Derbin|first11=A. V.|date=2013-02-13|title=IAXO - The International Axion Observatory|class=physics.ins-det|eprint=1302.3273}}</ref>