The VST Survey of the SMC and the Magellanic Bridge (STEP): First Results

STEP (Small Magellanic Cloud in Time: Evolution of a Prototype interacting late-type dwarf galaxy) is a Guaranteed Time Observation survey being carried out at the VLT Survey Telescope. STEP will obtain homogeneous photometry in the g-, r-, i- and Hα-bands over an area of 74 deg2 covering the main body of the Small Magellanic Cloud, the Bridge that connects it to the Large Magellanic Cloud and a small part of the Magellanic Stream (2 deg2). Our photometry will allow us to detect and measure the magnitudes of individual stars well below the main sequence turnoff of the oldest populations. Here we briefly describe the observing strategy, the photometric techniques, and the upcoming data products of the STEP survey.