  We introduce the Star Formation Across Cosmic Time (SFACT) survey. SFACT is a
new narrow-band survey for emission-line galaxies (ELGs) and QSOs being carried
out using the wide-field imager on the WIYN 3.5 m telescope. Because of the
superior depth and excellent image quality afforded by WIYN, we routinely
detect ELGs to r = 25.0. Our survey observations are made using three custom
narrow-band filters centered on 6590 A, 6950 A, and 7460 A. Due to the
sensitivity of the survey, we are able to simultaneously detect sources via a
number of different emission lines over a wide range of redshifts. The
principal lines detected in SFACT are H-alpha (redshifts up to 0.144), [O
III]5007 (redshifts up to 0.500) and [O II]3727 (redshifts up to 1.015). In
this paper we detail the properties of the survey as well as present initial
results obtained by analyzing our three pilot-study fields. These fields have
yielded a total of 533 ELG candidates in an area of 1.50 square degrees
(surface density of 355 ELGs per square degree). Follow-up spectra for a subset
of the ELG candidates are also presented. One of the key attributes of the
SFACT survey is that the ELGs are detected in discrete redshift windows that
will allow us to robustly quantify the properties of the star-forming and AGN
populations as a function of redshift to z = 1 and beyond. The planned
acquisition of additional narrow-band filters will allow us to expand our
survey to substantially higher redshifts.
