HOU in Russia -2007HOU in Russia -2007

Irina GUSEVA

St Petersburg

- Central (Pulkovo) Astronomical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences

- St Petersburg State University, Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics, Department of Astronomy

Main difficulties for HOU in Russia:Main difficulties for HOU in Russia:

Language problems in high/secondary schoolsLanguage problems in high/secondary schools

Astronomy is excluded (!) from the obligatory education program Astronomy is excluded (!) from the obligatory education program of high/secondary schoolsof high/secondary schools

No special teachers for astronomy (physics/mathematics), old No special teachers for astronomy (physics/mathematics), old educational programseducational programs

No support from government for astronomical education programsNo support from government for astronomical education programs

NEW : demographic problem – “Russian cross” caused a gap NEW : demographic problem – “Russian cross” caused a gap of 90of 90thth – lost new generation (10-20 years old) – lost new generation (10-20 years old)

New advantages for HOU in Russia New advantages for HOU in Russia

More attention was paid to common education during More attention was paid to common education during last two yearslast two years

All high/secondary schools are equipped with computersAll high/secondary schools are equipped with computers

More than 70% of high/secondary schools (including More than 70% of high/secondary schools (including country schools) received Internet access (April, 2007)country schools) received Internet access (April, 2007)

Very new (June 2007): a special department of scientific-Very new (June 2007): a special department of scientific-educational programs was formalized at Pulkovo educational programs was formalized at Pulkovo observatoryobservatory

HOU center at Pulkovo observatory

HOU center at Pulkovo observatory

HOU center at Pulkovo observatory

HOU center at Pulkovo observatory

Instruments:Instruments:

Double Short Focus Astrograph:

D = 100 mm F = 712 mm

Objective prism UBVRI filters

CCD ST-8 (SBIG) 1020 x 1530, 9 x 9 mkm

Field Of View - 44' x 67‘ Scale - 2.6"/pixel

What we made with this instrumentWhat we made with this instrument

Astrometry and photometry of star fields, open clusters, Astrometry and photometry of star fields, open clusters, supernovae, asteroids and comets,… supernovae, asteroids and comets,…

Providing practice of observations for students of St Petersburg Providing practice of observations for students of St Petersburg State UniversityState University

Diploma works of students of the St Petersburg State University Diploma works of students of the St Petersburg State University

Simple scientific works with high/secondary scholars, participationSimple scientific works with high/secondary scholars, participation

in different competition (regional, state, international - ESO)in different competition (regional, state, international - ESO)

Winners of ESO competition “Catch a star!”Winners of ESO competition “Catch a star!”

Instruments now:Instruments now:

Maksutov telescope MTM-200: D = 200 mm F = 1450 mmObjective prism, UBVRI filtersCCD-camera ST-8 (SBIG) – 1020 x 1530 pixels, 9 x 9 mkmField Of View - 21' x 32', scale - 1.3"/pixel

Tasks for this instrument:

Astrometry and photometry of star fields, open clusters, supernovae, asteroids Astrometry and photometry of star fields, open clusters, supernovae, asteroids and comets,… and comets,…

Providing practice of observations for students of St Petersburg State UniversityProviding practice of observations for students of St Petersburg State University

Diploma works of students of the St Petersburg State University Diploma works of students of the St Petersburg State University

Simple scientific works with high/secondary scholarsSimple scientific works with high/secondary scholars

Instruments now:Instruments now:

Tracker (RST-220) D = 220 mm F = 508 mmCCD-camera PL1001E (FLI) – 1024 x 1024 pixels, 24 x 24 mkmField Of View - 2°78 x 2°78, scale - 9.8"/pixel

Future CCD - PL09000 (FLI) – 3072 x 3072 pixels, 12 x 12 mkmField Of View - 4°15 x 4°15, scale - 4.9"/pixel

Tasks:

Space debris observations

Search for asteroids and comets

Instruments now:Instruments now:

Meade LXD-75 (10”) with DSI-Pro camera

Telescope for different tasks and works with high/secondaryscholars and teachers.

New robotic 0.5 m telescope is created (to be installedat Ussurijsk Astrophysical Observatory of the RAS in early 2008)– collaboration with Moscow Institute of Physics and Technics

Pulkovo cooperation of optical observersPulkovo cooperation of optical observers

Space debris observations - collaboration with European Space Agency

Classification of geosynchronous objects, Issue 9, February 2007:

…………………………………………………………………………………………….“4.8 Unidentified objects

In this list there are objects which were observed repeatedly by ground based telescopes but notcorrelated to a specific launch (i.e. their origin is not determined yet… ……..

The listed orbits are produced from measurements obtained in 2006. They are a joint product of the wide co-operation of organizations including:

- RAS Center on collection, processing and analysis of information on space debris at the Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics (KIAM RAS, Moscow),

- scientific observation facilities network coordinated by KIAM RAS and Central (Pulkovo) Central (Pulkovo) Astronomical Observatory (St.Petersburg):Astronomical Observatory (St.Petersburg): Crimean Astrophysical Observatory (Nauchny), Odessa Astronomical Observatory (Mayaki), Ussuriysk Astrophysical Observatory, Ulugbek Astronomical Observatory (Maidanak and Kitab facilities), Abastumani Astronomical Observatory, Tarija Observatory (Bolivia)

- Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern”.

Observatories of PulCOOObservatories of PulCOO

+ Observatory in Tarija, Bolivia (23 cm, 60 cm)

Our plansOur plansRussian HOU site creation for efficient collaboration with all Russian HOU site creation for efficient collaboration with all groups in different regions which desire to join HOU groups in different regions which desire to join HOU projectsprojects

Development of collaboration between Russian HOU Development of collaboration between Russian HOU participants and all other HOU groups in different countries.participants and all other HOU groups in different countries.

Development of adequate courses of lectures / curriculums Development of adequate courses of lectures / curriculums on modern astronomy, observation technique, data on modern astronomy, observation technique, data processing, etcprocessing, etc

Creation of national automated telescopes network Creation of national automated telescopes network for scientific and educational purposes (and connectionfor scientific and educational purposes (and connection with international network).with international network).

Just now – 2 telescopes, 2 domesJust now – 2 telescopes, 2 domes

Just now – 2 telescopes, 2 domesJust now – 2 telescopes, 2 domes

Thanks for attention!Thanks for attention!

Special thanks to the LCOGT and Special thanks to the LCOGT and GHOU LOCGHOU LOC

helping us to attend this helping us to attend this conference!conference!