Shades: the Scuba Half Degree Extragalactic Survey

SHADES is a new, major, extragalactic sub-mm survey currently being undertaken with SCUBA on the JCMT. The aim of this survey is to map 0.5 square degrees of sky at a depth sufficient to provide the first, major (≃ 300 source), unbiased sample of bright (S850 ≃ 8 mJy) sub-mm sources. Combined with extensive multi-frequency supporting observations already in hand, we aim to measure the redshift distribution, clustering and AGN content of the sub-mm population. Currently ≃ 40% complete, the survey is due to run until early 2006. Here I provide some early example results which demonstrate the potential power of our combined data set, and highlight a series of forthcoming papers which will present results based on the current interim sample of ≃ 130 850μm sources detected within the Lockman Hole and SXDF SHADES survey fields.