The Multi-site All-Sky CAmeRA, MASCARA, consists of two stations, in the northern hemisphere at La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain) and in the southern hemisphere at ESO's La Silla Observatory (northern Chile). Each station contains a battery of cameras which monitor the near-entire sky down to magnitude 8.3 at sub-minute cadence. Its main purpose is to find the brightest transiting exoplanet systems, expected in the V=4-8 magnitude range, but MASCARA also allows for a wealth of secondary science cases. MASCARA is expected to deliver the brightest targets for future exo-planet characterization instruments such as the JWST and the ELTs.
The La Palma station has been operational since early 2015, while the La Silla station will start in October 2016.
