Radio astronomy Zelenchuk Observatory: description, location and history

The Zelenchuk Observatory is included in the VLBI network (radiointerferometry with extra-long bases) "Kvazar-KVO". In addition to it, the VLBI includes similar observation posts in the Leningrad region (Svetloe settlement), in the Republic of Buryatia (the tract of Badara) and in the Crimea (Simeiz).

The task of the Zelenchuk Observatory is radiointerferometric observations of extragalactic radio sources and processing of the obtained data.

History

The Radio Astronomy Observatory Zelenchukskaya (RAO) was established in accordance with the decision of the Government of the USSR and the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences (AN). The place of its location was the village Zelenchukskaya of the Karachaevo-Cherkessia Autonomous Region (KChAO). The foothills of the North Caucasus were optimally suited for solving the tasks assigned to the observatory.

Has begun the work in June, 1966, having the status of scientific research institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.

At present, the observatory (Zelenchuksky region, KChAO) is considered the main ground center for space exploration in the country, and telescopes are among the largest in the world.

Technical equipment of the observatory

To solve the tasks, the Zelenchuk Observatory is equipped with a large azimuth telescope (BTA), as well as a radio telescope RATAN-600.

The optical telescope BTA has a mirror with a diameter of 6 meters. The RATAN-600 is equipped with a 600-meter ring antenna. These facilities were put into operation between 1975 and 1977.

In 17 kilometers from the village of Nizhniy Arkhyz, apart from BTA, optical telescopes with mirrors 1 meter in diameter and 0.6 meters in diameter are located.

A little further, near the village Zelenchukskaya, is RATAN-600 with a laboratory building and a hotel.

When creating a radio telescope, the development of Kaidanovskiy Naum Lvovich was used.

What is inside BTA?

The interior of the telescope resembles a computer game with an apocalyptic story: black metal doors, gloomy staircases with a minimum of light, leading to mysterious rooms with no less mysterious apparatus.

Here you will not see a huge magnifying glass at the end of the telescope (this is the idea most people have of a telescope). At the top of the telescope is a metal hatch, and in its widest part - a huge mirror with a concave surface. Between them is the workplace of an observer astronomer. This small room, which most likely resembles an atomic bomb shelter or the cabin of the first cosmonaut, astronomers have nicknamed a "glass" for the limited space.

When the hatch is open, the light hits the mirror. Focusing on the concave surface of the mirror, he gives a picture of the starry sky in an enlarged view. Over this picture and "conjure" in the future, the staff of the observatory.

True, now astronomers do not have to sit in a "glass", since people have already been replaced by "smart" instruments, which are placed here and are controlled by a person from the outside.

But all this is in the upper (working) part of the telescope. In the lower part of it everything looks exactly the opposite: light and solemn, as here is the main entrance hall. It usually starts excursions.

Observatory achievements

Conducted by the team of RAO "Zelenchukskaya" work allowed to make a significant contribution to the treasury of humanity in the study of outer space. A team of 120 scientists was able to:

• To determine the masses of one and a half thousand galaxies;
• Discover more than five hundred galaxies that have active nuclei;
• Open the blue dwarf galaxy SBS 0335-052;
• To discover a space whose existence does not fit into any of the existing theories of cosmologists.

Also, scientists have found that active enrichment with heavy elements of the Milky Way ended about five billion years ago.

Interesting Facts

The radio astronomy observatory (Zelenchuksky district), whose reviews were and are ambiguous, once became the object of criticism of members of a high-ranking commission.

The fact is that when inspecting the observatory, the commission suddenly heard the croaking of frogs. And since this "singing" was connected with the inspectors with the swamp, then the conclusion was made: the observatory was built on a swamp.

What was worthwhile for the leadership of the observatory to convince the commission of the opposite - history is silent. But the fact that the observatory is working to this day, speaks of a successfully closed issue concerning the presence of frogs on the site.

By the way, the very idea of building an object such as the Zelenchuk Observatory in the Russian Federation has been criticized by many specialists. Their main argument was the astronomical climate in the country (in Russia there are only 200 cloudless nights per year).

Is there any prospect for Zelenchukskaya?

The question is far from idle, given that today the space telescope "Hubble", put into orbit of the Earth, is already being used for space research.

Of course, Hubble makes beautiful images of space objects, but it cost science a sum that is several orders of magnitude higher than any ground-based observatory. At the same time, specialists do not see much difference between the images received by the space telescope and the images of terrestrial telescopes.

However, the Zelenchuk Observatory and similar centers can not work in spectral areas, where the opaque atmosphere. Therefore, space information in the X-ray waveband is not available for a ground-based observatory. Here the advantage of the Hubble orbital telescope is obvious, since it does not interfere with the earth's atmosphere.

But here again everything is leveled by the cost of projects, in particular, the conclusion of "Hubble" into the orbit of our planet, which also cost a round sum.

Thus, it is not yet necessary to talk about ground-based observatories as unpromising projects.

Russian astronomy today, its prospects

Unfortunately, the question of the prospects of Russian astronomy can not be classified as rhetorical. According to experts, today Russia is not able to build large telescopes that meet modern requirements.

There are a lot of reasons for this - there is a lack of necessary funds for their construction, a shortage of personnel able to carry out this work, and, in the final analysis, the presence of a bad astroclimate. All this, of course, does not in any way motivate Russian science for such grandiose projects.

However, Russian astronomers cherish the hope of joining the consortium "European Southern Observatory". This will allow them to access the newest telescopes in the world.

But this membership will cost around 120 million in the European currency, which represents a considerable amount for the current budget of the country in an economic crisis.