Terskol Observatory

Terskol Observatory (IAU code B18)

Astronomical facilities at the high-altitude observatory Terskol in the North Caucasus (43°16’29” N, 42°30’03” E, 3143 m asl) include optical telescopes with diameters up to 2 m, their instrumentation (high-resolution spectrometers, high-speed photometers, two-channel polarimeter, CCDs, etc.), as well as provisions for data distribution via satellite and computer networks. The decades of successful research at Terskol have yielded new data and findings in the following areas of observational astronomy: precise astrometry and photometry of Solar system bodies, high-resolution spectroscopy of O-B stars, study of variable stars and interstellar matter, search for optical afterglow of gamma ray bursts, etc.

Facilities of the Terskol Observatory are operated by the ICAMER of NAS of Ukraine and constantly used in various international observation campaigns. The telescopes Zeiss-2000 and Zeiss-600 provide good enough opportunities especially for long-term photometric monitoring of transient events and objects. Since 2016, research activities at the Terskol Observatory are focused on follow-up studies of transients detected by ESA Gaia, DPAC and the Photometric Science Alerts Team (http://gsaweb.ast.cam.ac.uk/alerts).

References

  1. Godunova, V., et al. (2019) Follow-up observations of variable stars at the Terskol Observatory within the Gaia project / Contributions of the Astronomical Observatory Skalnate Pleso, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 358–362.

  2. Simon, A., Godunova, V., Izviekova, I., Kozlov, V., and Vasylenko, V. (2018) Outburst in CV candidate Gaia17cuh / The Astronomer’s Telegram, 12238.

  3. Tarady, V., Sergeev, O., Karpov, N., Zhilyaev, B., Godunova, V. (2010) Observations with Small and Medium-Sized Telescopes at the Terskol Observatory, arxiv.org/pdf/1003.4875

Telescopes, which will be used for BVRI photometry of objects within the framework of GRANDMA project

Zeiss-2000

Main mirror: d = 2 m, f = 5.6 m / Ritchey-Chretien system: equivalent focal length = 16 m

Field of view: 11’ x 11’

CCD camera: FLI PL4301 (2084×2084) 24×24 microns

Limiting magnitude: V~21.5

Zeiss-600

d = 0.6 m, f = 7,776 m

Field of view: 10.9’ x 10.9’

CCD camera: SBIG STL-1001 (1024×1024) 24×24 microns

Limiting magnitude: V~19.5

Team

Vira Godunova, Dmytro Berezin