Watching the dark and starry sky becomes a luxury. Due to light pollution, there are fewer and fewer places on the planet where you can see the Milky Way. But astronomical observatories are located in dark, mountainous and sparsely populated regions with the best conditions for observing space from Earth. Many of them are open to tourists, you can even look into telescopes there. We have compiled a selection of seven accessible and open observatories in different parts of the world, including Russia.

1. Pulkovo observatory in St. Petersburg

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The Pulkovo observatory assures that in St. Petersburg there are not only “white”, but also “black” nights. Winds and anticyclones make them especially stellar.

The Pulkovo Observatory belongs to the Russian Academy of Sciences and was established in the middle of the 19th century. In the center of its dome runs the Pulkovo meridian - the starting point for surveyors in Russia.

The observatory regularly conducts evening and night excursions, and there is an astronomical museum. When choosing a day to visit, it is worth watching the weather - usually the forecast for 2-3 days ahead is quite accurate.

The program of excursions depends on the time of year and time of day, but, as a rule, includes observations of the constellations from the street.

Observatory staff advise choosing an excursion with a visit to the 26-inch refractor tower for the first time. The length of its pipe exceeds 10 meters. This instrument makes observations every clear night. In the world ranking of telescopes studying visual double stars, the Pulkovo 26-inch telescope is among the leaders.

2. Crimean Astrophysical Observatory

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The observatory in the Crimea was built together with the scientific town, which is called Scientific, at an altitude of 600 meters. This is the highest mountain village of the peninsula. Telescopes and administrative buildings are dispersed over a large area among old pines, lindens, blue firs, Lebanese cedars, chestnuts. The proximity to the reserve and the mountainous landscape provide a dark sky and a calm atmosphere above the observatory.

The institution has 17 optical telescopes. The most famous are Europe's largest mirror telescope named after Schein with a mirror of 2.6 meters and the Tower Solar Telescope. During the day you can observe prominences - explosions on the surface of the Sun, in the late evening - the Moon, stars, planets. Employees conduct excursions every evening by prior arrangement (on call) and regularly organize popular science lectures about black holes and dark matter.

The observatory recommends checking the weather forecast before traveling. Also, employees advise not to come to the full moon - at this time the craters are not visible on it, and the illumination from it reduces the spectacularity of the Milky Way, star clusters and nebulae.

Tours start late in the evening. After them, you can stay overnight at the observatory hotel.

3. Molėtai Astronomical Observatory in Lithuania

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10 kilometers from the ancient Lithuanian town of Molėtai and 70 km from Vilnius, the Molėtai Observatory was built in 1969. For her, they chose an area with a dark sky - on a 200-meter hill of Kaldinai.

The observatory was built instead of two old observatories in Vilnius, where space observation became impossible due to the growth of the city and light noise.

The great interest of tourists in the observatory prompted scientists to open an ethnocosmological museum nearby. It is built of aluminum and glass and is shaped like a "flying saucer". In the museum you can see fragments of meteorites, photographs of galaxies, real sundial, planet models. There are also night excursions with observation of stars and planets - a telescope is installed in the dome of the 45-meter tower. During daylight hours, you can watch the sun in the observatory building.

4. Roque de los Muchachos in the Canaries

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Roque de los Muchachos is one of the most important scientific observatories of our time. It is located on the island of La Palma and covers an area of ​​2,400 square meters.

After the founding of the observatory in 1979, the Newton Telescope was moved here from the Greenwich Royal Observatory. Today, there are 14 groups of telescopes and teams from almost all European countries and the USA. The fact is that in terms of the purity of the sky and the level of light noise, the conditions here are among the best in the world. La Palma has laws that govern light pollution and aircraft flight paths. Even lanterns are installed with a certain angle of reflection so that they do not shine upwards.

The observatory is open to visitors on a schedule that may vary depending on the season. You can check it on the observatory website. Tourists are shown telescopes, told about their device, about astronomy and scientific discoveries. You won't be able to look into the telescopes at the observatory - they are accessible only to scientists. But the stars here are so bright that you can watch them without special instruments.

Near the observatory there is an observation deck - from there you can see all the groups of telescopes and the main mountain range of the island.

There are several more astronomical complexes on the Canary Islands. The Teide Observatory on the island of Tenerife specializes in studying the sun. Here is Europe's largest solar telescope Gregory. During the tour, tourists observe the Sun through two telescopes with different filters, which allow you to see the chromosphere and photosphere, spots, "flares" on the Sun.

Another "astro entertainment" in the Canary Islands is to go to the Teide National Park with a perfectly clear sky to observe the Milky Way and the stars. Here you can see 83 constellations out of 88 officially recognized.
Local travel agencies offer astro tours to the best places in the archipelago for observing the sky and group tours at the observatory.

5. Observatories in Chile

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The Atacama Desert in Chile is recognized as another unique place for space observation. The air in the highlands of the Andes is dry, clean and transparent, and there are 300 clear days a year. And only in the southern hemisphere one can observe some stars, the central section of the Milky Way, the Magellanic Clouds - satellite galaxies of the Milky Way.

Most of the telescopes in the desert were built by the international organization European Southern Observatory (ESO). It began observing the southern sky in the middle of the 20th century, and today it is considered one of the most important centers for space research in the world. 40 percent of the world's telescopes operate in the Atacama. This figure is expected to increase soon - several large objects are now being built here, including the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) with a mirror of 40 meters, which can give a picture with better detail than the orbiting Hubble.

The largest and most popular ESO observatories among tourists are La Silla, Llano de Chajnantor and Paranal. They are open for free visits on Saturdays and Sundays, but strictly by appointment on the site. You may have to get on the "waiting list", as there are many people who want to get closer to space in Chile. Tourists are taken on a special bus from the village of San Pedro de Atacama.

The observatories in the Atakama Desert look like science fiction colonial astronomy stations on Mars. And the Paranal station also attracts Bond fans. The ESO Hotel at this station appeared in the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.

In Chile, the American observatory Cerro Tololo is also available to tourists near the small town of Vicuña. It is also the largest and oldest observatory. You will have to get to it on your own.

Websites: eso.org, almaobservatory.org, ctio.noao.edu

6. Mount Wilson Observatory in the USA

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The observatory on Mount Wilson (1,742 meters) near Los Angeles appeared in 1908, and in 1931 was awarded a visit by Albert Einstein. Today, proximity to the sprawling metropolis has limited the station's ability to study deep space, but for lovers of astronomy, this is an interesting place.

The largest astronomical instrument in the Western Hemisphere, the Hawker Telescope, is located here. The famous astronomer Edwin Hubble worked on it, after whom the powerful Hubble Space Telescope, an automatic observatory in orbit around the Earth, is named. In the 1920s, Edwin Hubble took photographs from the Hawker Telescope at Mount Wilson that changed the way we thought about space. They showed that the then-called "spiral nebulae" are not just gas clouds, but huge star systems - spiral galaxies similar to the Milky Way, but at a great distance from us.

Now the Hawker telescope is available for free observations from early spring to late autumn. Tours take place every weekend during the daytime (without observation through telescopes) and at night (with observation). Private group tours are available upon prior request on the observatory website.

OBSERVATORY, an institution for the production of astronomical or geophysical (magnetometric, meteorological and seismic) observations; hence the division of observatories into astronomical, magnetometric, meteorological and seismic.

astronomical observatory

According to their purpose, astronomical observatories can be divided into two main types: astrometric and astrophysical observatories. Astrometric observatories are engaged in determining the exact positions of stars and other luminaries for different purposes and, depending on this, with different tools and methods. Astrophysical observatories study various physical properties of celestial bodies, such as temperature, brightness, density, as well as other properties that require physical methods of study, such as the movement of stars along the line of sight, the diameters of stars determined by the interference method, etc. Many large observatories pursue mixed purposes, but there are observatories for a narrower purpose, for example, for observing the variability of geographic latitude, for searching for small planets, observing variable stars, etc.

Observatory location must satisfy a number of requirements, which include: 1) the complete absence of shaking caused by the proximity of railways, traffic or factories, 2) the highest purity and transparency of the air - the absence of dust, smoke, fog, 3) the absence of sky illumination caused by the proximity of the city , factories, railway stations, etc., 4) calmness of the air at night, 5) a fairly open horizon. Conditions 1, 2, 3, and partly 5 make observatories move outside the city, often even to considerable heights above sea level, creating mountain observatories. Condition 4 depends on a number of factors, partly general climatic (winds, humidity), partly local. In any case, it forces one to avoid places with strong air currents, for example, arising from the strong heating of the soil by the sun, sharp fluctuations in temperature and humidity. The most favorable are areas covered with a uniform vegetation cover, with a dry climate, at a sufficient height above sea level. Modern observatories usually consist of separate pavilions located in the middle of a park or scattered across a meadow, in which instruments are installed (Fig. 1).

To the side there are laboratories - rooms for measuring and computing work, for studying photographic plates and for performing various experiments (for example, for studying the radiation of a completely black body, as a standard for determining the temperature of stars), a mechanical workshop, a library and living quarters. In one of the buildings there is a cellar for the clock. If the observatory is not connected to the electrical mains, then its own power plant is arranged.

Instrumental equipment of observatories varies greatly depending on the destination. To determine the right ascensions and declinations of the luminaries, a meridian circle is used, which simultaneously gives both coordinates. At some observatories, following the example of the Pulkovo observatory, two different instruments are used for this purpose: a transit instrument and a vertical circle, which make it possible to determine the mentioned coordinates separately. The most observations are divided into fundamental and relative. The first consists in the independent derivation of an independent system of right ascensions and declinations with the determination of the position of the vernal equinox and the equator. The second consists in linking observed stars, usually located in a narrow declination zone (hence the term: zone observations), to reference stars, the position of which is known from fundamental observations. For relative observations, photography is now increasingly being used, and this area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe sky is taken with special tubes with a camera (astrographs) with a sufficiently large focal length (usually 2-3.4 m). Relative determination of the position of objects close to each other, for example, binary stars, minor planets and comets, in relation to nearby stars, satellites of planets relative to the planet itself, determination of annual parallaxes - is carried out using equatorials both visually - using an ocular micrometer, and photographic, in which the eyepiece is replaced by a photographic plate. For this purpose, the largest instruments are used, with lenses of 0 to 1 m. The variability of latitude is studied mainly with the help of zenith telescopes.

The main observations of an astrophysical nature are photometric, including colorimetry, i.e., determining the color of stars, and spectroscopic. The former are produced by means of photometers mounted as independent instruments or, more often, attached to a refractor or reflector. For spectral observations, slit spectrographs are used, which are attached to the largest reflectors (with a mirror of 0 to 2.5 m) or, in obsolete cases, to large refractors. The resulting photographs of the spectra are used for various purposes, such as: determination of radial velocities, spectroscopic parallaxes, temperature. For a general classification of stellar spectra, more modest tools can be used - the so-called. prismatic chambers, consisting of a fast, short-focus photographic camera with a prism in front of the lens, giving the spectra of many stars on one plate, but with low dispersion. For spectral studies of the sun, as well as stars, some observatories use the so-called. tower telescopes representing known benefits. They consist of a tower (up to 45 m high), on top of which there is a celestial, which sends the rays of the luminary vertically downwards; a lens is placed slightly below the coelite, through which the rays pass, gathering in focus at ground level, where they enter a vertical or horizontal spectrograph, which is under constant temperature conditions.

The tools mentioned above are mounted on solid stone pillars with a deep and large foundation, isolated from the rest of the building so that vibrations are not transmitted. Refractors and reflectors are placed in round towers (Fig. 2), covered with a hemispherical rotating dome with a drop-down hatch through which observation takes place.

For refractors, the floor in the tower is made elevating, so that the observer can comfortably reach the ocular end of the telescope at any inclination of the latter to the horizon. In reflector towers, instead of a lifting floor, stairs and small lifting platforms are usually used. The towers of large reflectors must have such a device that would provide good thermal insulation during the day against heating and sufficient ventilation at night, with the dome open.

Instruments intended for observation in one specific vertical - a meridian circle, a passage instrument, and a partly vertical circle - are installed in pavilions made of corrugated iron (Fig. 3), having the shape of a lying half-cylinder. By opening wide hatches or rolling back the walls, a wide gap is formed in the plane of the meridian or the first vertical, depending on the installation of the instrument, allowing observations to be made.

The device of the pavilion should provide for good ventilation, because when observing the air temperature inside the pavilion should be equal to the outside temperature, which eliminates the incorrect refraction of the line of sight, called hall refraction(Saalrefaction). With passage instruments and meridian circles, worlds are often arranged, which are solid marks installed in the meridian plane at some distance from the instrument.

Observatories serving time, as well as making fundamental determinations of right ascensions, require a large clock setting. The clock is placed in the basement, under conditions of constant temperature. Distribution boards and chronographs are placed in a special room for comparing hours. A radio station is also installed here. If the observatory itself sends time signals, then an installation for automatic sending of signals is also required; transmission is made through one of the powerful transmission radio stations.

In addition to permanently functioning observatories, temporary observatories and stations are sometimes set up, designed either to observe short-term phenomena, mainly solar eclipses (previously also the transits of Venus across the disk of the sun), or to perform certain work, after which such an observatory is again closed. Thus, some European and especially North American observatories opened temporary - for several years - branches in the southern hemisphere to observe the southern sky in order to compile positional, photometric or spectroscopic catalogs of southern stars using the same methods and tools that were used for the same purpose at the main observatory. in the northern hemisphere. The total number of currently operating astronomical observatories reaches 300. Some data, namely: location, main instruments and main works regarding the main modern observatories are given in the table.

magnetic observatory

A magnetic observatory is a station conducting regular observations of geomagnetic elements. It is a reference point for geomagnetic surveys of the area adjacent to it. The material provided by the magnetic observatory is fundamental in the study of the earth's magnetic life. The work of a magnetic observatory can be divided into the following cycles: 1) the study of temporal variations in the elements of terrestrial magnetism, 2) their regular measurements in absolute measure, 3) the study and study of geomagnetic instruments used in magnetic surveys, 4) special research work in areas of geomagnetic phenomena.

To carry out these works, the magnetic observatory has a set of normal geomagnetic instruments for measuring the elements of terrestrial magnetism in absolute terms: magnetic theodolite and inclinator, usually of the induction type, as more advanced. These devices b. compared with standard instruments available in each country (in the USSR they are stored at the Slutsk Magnetic Observatory), in turn compared with the international standard in Washington. To study temporal variations of the terrestrial magnetic field, the observatory has at its disposal one or two sets of variational instruments - variometers D, H and Z - providing continuous recording of changes in the elements of terrestrial magnetism over time. The principle of operation of the above devices - see terrestrial magnetism. The constructions of the most common of them are described below.

A magnetic theodolite for absolute measurements of H is shown in Fig. 4 and 5. Here A is a horizontal circle, readings from which are taken using microscopes B; I - tube for observations by the method of autocollimation; C - a house for the magnet m, D - an arresting device fixed at the base of the tube, inside which a thread passes, supporting the magnet m. In the upper part of this tube there is a head F, with which the thread is fastened. Deflecting (auxiliary) magnets are placed on the M 1 and M 2 lagers; the orientation of the magnet on them is determined by special circles with readings using microscopes a and b. Observations of declination are carried out using the same theodolite, or a special declinator is installed, the design of which is in general terms the same as that of the described device, but without devices for deviations. To determine the location of true north on the azimuthal circle, a specially set measure is used, the true azimuth of which is determined using astronomical or geodetic measurements.

The earth inductor (inclinator) for determining the inclination is shown in Fig. 6 and 7. A double coil S can rotate about an axis lying on bearings mounted in a ring R. The position of the axis of rotation of the coil is determined by a vertical circle V using microscopes M, M. H is a horizontal circle that serves to set the axis of the coil in the plane of the magnetic meridian, K - a switch for converting alternating current, obtained by rotating the coil, into direct current. From the terminals of this commutator, current is supplied to a sensitive galvanometer with a satazated magnetic system.

Variometer H is shown in Fig. 8. Inside a small chamber, a magnet M is suspended on a quartz thread or on a bifilar. The upper attachment point of the thread is at the top of the suspension tube and is connected to the head T, which can rotate about the vertical axis.

A mirror S is inseparably attached to the magnet, onto which a beam of light from the illuminator of the recording apparatus falls. Next to the mirror, a fixed mirror B is fixed, the purpose of which is to draw a base line on the magnetogram. L is a lens that gives an image of the illuminator slit on the drum of the recording apparatus. A cylindrical lens is installed in front of the drum, reducing this image to a point. That. recording on photographic paper screwed onto the drum is made by moving along the generatrix of the drum a light spot from a beam of light reflected from the mirror S. The design of the variometer B is the same as that of the described device, except for the orientation of the magnet M with respect to the mirror S.

Variometer Z (Fig. 9) essentially consists of a magnetic system oscillating about a horizontal axis. The system is enclosed inside the chamber 1, which has an opening in its front part, closed by a lens 2. The oscillations of the magnetic system are recorded by the recorder thanks to a mirror, which is attached to the system. To build the baseline, a fixed mirror is used, located next to the movable one. The general arrangement of variometers during observations is shown in Fig. ten.

Here R is the recording apparatus, U is its clockwork, which rotates the drum W with light-sensitive paper, l is a cylindrical lens, S is an illuminator, H, D, Z are variometers for the corresponding elements of terrestrial magnetism. In the Z variometer, the letters L, M, and t denote, respectively, the lens, the mirror connected to the magnetic system, and the mirror attached to the device for recording temperatures. Depending on the special tasks in which the observatory takes part, its further equipment is already of a special nature. Reliable operation of geomagnetic instruments requires special conditions in terms of the absence of disturbing magnetic fields, temperature constancy, etc.; therefore, magnetic observatories are taken out far from the city with its electrical installations and arranged in such a way as to guarantee the desired degree of temperature constancy. For this, pavilions where magnetic measurements are made are usually built with double walls and the heating system is located along the corridor formed by the outer and inner walls of the building. In order to exclude the mutual influence of variational instruments on normal ones, both are usually installed in different pavilions, somewhat distant from each other. When constructing such buildings, b. special attention was paid to the fact that there were no iron masses inside them and nearby, especially moving ones. With regard to electrical wiring, b. conditions are met that guarantee the absence of magnetic fields of electric current (bifilar wiring). The proximity of structures that create mechanical shaking is unacceptable.

Since the magnetic observatory is the main point for the study of magnetic life: the earth, requirement b. or m. their uniform distribution over the entire surface of the globe. At present, this requirement is only approximately met. The table below, presenting the list of magnetic observatories, gives an idea of ​​the extent to which this requirement has been met. In the table, italics indicate the average annual change in the element of terrestrial magnetism, due to the secular course.

The richest material collected by magnetic observatories consists in the study of temporal variations of geomagnetic elements. This includes the daily, annual and secular course, as well as those sudden changes in the earth's magnetic field, which are called magnetic storms. As a result of the study of diurnal variations, it became possible to distinguish in them the influence of the position of the sun and moon in relation to the place of observation and to establish the role of these two cosmic bodies in the diurnal variations of geomagnetic elements. The main cause of variation is the sun; the influence of the moon does not exceed 1/15 of the action of the first luminary. The amplitude of diurnal fluctuations on average has a value of the order of 50 γ (γ = 0.00001 gauss, see Terrestrial Magnetism), i.e., about 1/1000 of the total stress; it varies depending on the geographical latitude of the place of observation and strongly depends on the time of year. As a rule, the amplitude of diurnal variations in summer is greater than in winter. The study of the time distribution of magnetic storms led to the ascertaining of their connection with the activity of the sun. The number of storms and their intensity coincide in time with the number of sunspots. This circumstance allowed Stormer to create a theory explaining the occurrence of magnetic storms by the penetration into the upper layers of our atmosphere of electric charges emitted by the sun during periods of its greatest activity, and by the parallel formation of a ring of moving electrons at a considerable height, almost outside the atmosphere, in the plane of the earth's equator.

meteorological observatory

observatory meteorological, the highest scientific institution for the study of issues related to the physical life of the earth in the broadest sense. These observatories are now dealing not only with purely meteorological and climatological questions and the weather service, but also include in the scope of their tasks the questions of terrestrial magnetism, atmospheric electricity and atmospheric optics; some observatories even conduct seismic observations. Therefore, such observatories have a broader name - geophysical observatories or institutes.

Observatories' own observations in the field of meteorology are meant to provide strictly scientific material of observations made on meteorological elements, necessary for the purposes of climatology, weather service and satisfying a number of practical requests based on records of recorders with continuous recording of all changes in the course of meteorological elements. Direct observations at certain urgent hours are made on such elements as air pressure (see Barometer), its temperature and humidity (see Hygrometer), wind direction and speed, sunshine, precipitation and evaporation, snow cover, soil temperature and other atmospheric phenomena according to the program of ordinary meteorology, stations of the 2nd category. In addition to these program observations, control observations are made at meteorological observatories, and methodological studies are also carried out, expressed in the establishment and testing of new methods of observation of phenomena, as already partly studied; and not studied at all. Observatory observations must be long-term in order to be able to draw a number of conclusions from them in order to obtain with sufficient accuracy the average "normal" values, to determine the magnitude of non-periodic fluctuations inherent in a given place of observation, and to determine the regularity in the course of these phenomena over time.

In addition to making their own meteorological observations, one of the major tasks of the observatories is to study the entire country as a whole or its individual regions in physical terms and ch. arr. in terms of climate. The observational material coming from the network of meteorological stations to the observatory is subjected here to a detailed study, control and thorough verification in order to select the most benign observations that can already be used for further development. Initial findings from this verified material are published in the observatory's publications. Such publications on the network of former stations. Russia and the USSR cover observations starting from 1849. These publications publish ch. arr. conclusions from observations, and only for a small number of stations, observations are printed in full.

The rest of the processed and verified material is stored in the archive of the observatory. As a result of a deep and careful study of these materials, various monographs appear from time to time, either characterizing the processing technique or concerning the development of individual meteorological elements.

One of the specific features of the activities of the observatories is a special service for forecasting and warning about the state of the weather. At present, this service has been separated from the Main Geophysical Observatory in the form of an independent institute - the Central Weather Bureau. To show the development and achievements of our weather service, below are data on the number of telegrams received by the Weather Bureau per day since 1917.

At present, the Central Weather Bureau receives up to 700 internal telegrams alone, apart from reports. In addition, large-scale work is being carried out here to improve weather forecasting methods. As for the degree of success of short-term predictions, it is determined at 80-85%. In addition to short-term forecasts, methods have now been developed and long-term predictions of the general nature of the weather for the coming season or for short periods, or detailed predictions on individual issues (opening and freezing of rivers, floods, thunderstorms, snowstorms, hail, etc.) are being made.

In order for the observations made at the stations of the meteorological network to be comparable with each other, it is necessary that the instruments used to make these observations be compared with the "normal" standards adopted at international congresses. The task of checking instruments is solved by a special department of the observatory; at all stations of the network, only instruments tested at the observatory and provided with special certificates are used, giving either corrections or constants for the corresponding instruments under given observation conditions. In addition, for the same purposes of comparability of the results of direct meteorological observations at stations and the observatory, these observations must be made within strictly defined periods and according to a specific program. In view of this, the observatory issues special instructions for making observations, revised from time to time on the basis of experiments, the progress of science, and in accordance with the decisions of international congresses and conferences. The observatory, on the other hand, calculates and publishes special tables for processing meteorological observations made at the stations.

In addition to meteorological research, a number of observatories also carry out actinometric studies and systematic observations of solar radiation intensity, diffuse radiation, and the earth's own radiation. In this regard, the observatory in Slutsk (former Pavlovsk) is well-deservedly known, where a large number of instruments have been designed both for direct measurements and for continuous automatic recording of changes in various radiation elements (actinographs), and these instruments were installed here for operation earlier than at observatories in other countries. In some cases, studies are underway to study the energy in individual parts of the spectrum in addition to the integral radiation. Questions connected with the polarization of light are also the subject of a special study of observatories.

Scientific flights in balloons and free balloons, carried out repeatedly for direct observations of the state of meteorological elements in the free atmosphere, although they provided a number of very valuable data for understanding the life of the atmosphere and the laws that govern it, nevertheless, these flights had only a very limited application. in everyday life due to the significant costs associated with them, as well as the difficulty of reaching great heights. The successes of aviation made persistent demands for ascertaining the state of meteorological elements and Ch. arr. direction and speed of the wind at different heights in the free atmosphere, and so on. put forward the importance of aerological research. Special institutes were organized, special methods were developed for raising recording instruments of various designs, which are raised to a height on kites or with the help of special rubber balloons filled with hydrogen. The records of such recorders provide information on the state of pressure, temperature and humidity, as well as on the speed of air movement and direction at various altitudes in the atmosphere. In the case when only information about the wind in different layers is required, observations are made on small pilot balloons freely released from the observation point. In view of the great importance of such observations for the purposes of air transport, the observatory organizes a whole network of aerological stations; the processing of the results of the observations made, as well as the solution of a number of problems of theoretical and practical importance concerning the motion of the atmosphere, are carried out at observatories. Systematic observations at high-mountain observatories also provide material for understanding the laws of atmospheric circulation. In addition, such high-mountain observatories are important in matters relating to the feeding of rivers originating from glaciers and related irrigation issues, which is important in semi-desert climates, for example, in Central Asia.

Turning to observations on the elements of atmospheric electricity, carried out at observatories, it is necessary to indicate that they are directly related to radioactivity and, moreover, are of certain importance in the development of agricultural production. cultures. The purpose of these observations is to measure the radioactivity and degree of ionization of the air, as well as to determine the electrical state of the precipitation that falls on the ground. Any disturbances that occur in the electric field of the earth cause disturbances in wireless, and sometimes even in wire communication. Observatories located in coastal areas include in their program of work and research the study of hydrology of the sea, observations and forecasts of the state of the sea, which is of direct importance for the purposes of maritime transport. ,

In addition to obtaining observational material, processing it and possible conclusions, in many cases it seems necessary to subject the phenomena observed in nature to experimental and theoretical study. From this follow the tasks of laboratory and mathematical research carried out by observatories. Under the conditions of a laboratory experiment, it is sometimes possible to reproduce one or another atmospheric phenomenon, to study in a comprehensive manner the conditions for its occurrence and its causes. In this regard, one can point to the work carried out at the Main Geophysical Observatory, for example, on studying the phenomenon of bottom ice and determining measures to combat this phenomenon. In the same way, the problem of the rate of cooling of a heated body in an air stream was studied in the laboratory of the observatory, which is directly related to the solution of the problem of heat transfer in the atmosphere. Finally, mathematical analysis finds wide application in solving a number of problems related to the processes and various phenomena that take place in atmospheric conditions, for example, circulation, turbulent motion, etc. In conclusion, we give a list of observatories located in the USSR. In the first place it is necessary to put the Main Geophysical Observatory (Leningrad), founded in 1849; next to it as its suburban branch is an observatory in Slutsk. These institutions carry out tasks on the scale of the entire Union. In addition to them, a number of observatories with functions of republican, regional or regional significance: the Geophysical Institute in Moscow, the Central Asian Meteorological Institute in Tashkent, the Geophysical Observatory in Tiflis, Kharkov, Kyiv, Sverdlovsk, Irkutsk and Vladivostok, organized by the Geophysical Institutes in Saratov for the Lower Volga region and in Novosibirsk for western Siberia. There are a number of observatories on the seas - in Arkhangelsk and a newly organized observatory in Aleksandrovsk for the northern basin, in Kronstadt - for the Baltic Sea, in Sevastopol and Feodosia - for the Black and Azov Seas, in Baku - for the Caspian Sea and in Vladivostok - for the Pacific Ocean. A number of former universities also have observatories with major works in the field of meteorology and geophysics in general - Kazan, Odessa, Kyiv, Tomsk. All these observatories not only conduct observations at one point, but also organize expeditionary research, either independent or complex, on various problems and departments of geophysics, thereby greatly contributing to the study of the productive forces of the USSR.

seismic observatory

seismic observatory serves to register and study earthquakes. The main instrument in the practice of measuring earthquakes is a seismograph, which automatically records any shaking that occurs in a certain plane. Therefore, a series of three instruments, two of which are horizontal pendulums that capture and record those components of motion or velocity that occur in the direction of the meridian (NS) and parallel (EW), and the third is a vertical pendulum for recording vertical displacements, is necessary and sufficient. to resolve the issue of the location of the epicentral region and the nature of the earthquake that occurred. Unfortunately, most seismic stations are only equipped with instruments for measuring horizontal components. The general organizational structure of the seismic service in the USSR is as follows. The whole thing is headed by the Seismic Institute, which is part of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Leningrad. The latter manages the scientific and practical activities of observation posts - seismic observatories and various stations located in certain regions of the country and making observations according to a specific program. The Central Seismic Observatory in Pulkovo, on the one hand, is engaged in the production of regular and continuous observations of all three components of the movement of the earth's crust through several series of recording instruments, on the other hand, it performs a comparative study of apparatus and methods for processing seismograms. In addition, on the basis of their own study and experience, other stations of the seismic network are instructed here. In accordance with such an important role that this observatory plays in the study of the country in a seismic sense, it has a specially arranged underground pavilion so that all external effects - temperature changes, building vibrations under the influence of wind blows, etc. - are eliminated. One of the halls of this pavilion is isolated from the walls and floor of the common building and contains the most important series of instruments of very high sensitivity. Instruments designed by Academician B. B. Golitsyn are of great importance in the practice of modern seismometry. In these devices, the movement of pendulums can be registered not mechanically, but with the help of the so-called galvanometric registration, at which there is a change in the electrical state in the coil moving together with the pendulum of the seismograph in the magnetic field of a strong magnet. By means of wires, each coil is connected to a galvanometer, the needle of which oscillates along with the movement of the pendulum. A mirror attached to a galvanometer pointer makes it possible to follow the ongoing changes in the instrument, either directly or with the help of photographic recording. That. there is no need to enter the hall with instruments and thereby disturb the equilibrium in the instruments with air currents. With this setup, the instruments can have a very high sensitivity. In addition to those indicated, seismographs with mechanical registration. Their design is more crude, the sensitivity is much lower, and with the help of these devices it is possible to control, and most importantly, restore the recordings of high-sensitivity devices in case of various kinds of failures. At the central observatory, in addition to ongoing work, numerous special studies of scientific and applied significance are also carried out.

Observatories or stations of the 1st category designed to record distant earthquakes. They are equipped with instruments of sufficiently high sensitivity, and in most cases they are equipped with one set of instruments for the three components of the earth's motion. Synchronous recording of the readings of these instruments makes it possible to determine the angle of exit of seismic rays, and from the records of a vertical pendulum it is possible to decide on the nature of the wave, i.e., to determine when a compression or rarefaction wave approaches. Some of these stations still have devices for mechanical recording, that is, less sensitive ones. A number of stations, in addition to general ones, deal with local issues of significant practical importance, for example, in Makeevka (Donbass), according to instrument records, one can find a connection between seismic phenomena and firedamp emissions; installations in Baku make it possible to determine the effect of seismic phenomena on the regime of oil sources, etc. All these observatories publish independent bulletins, in which, in addition to general information about the position of the station and phase, secondary maxima, etc. In addition, data are reported on the proper displacements of the soil during earthquakes.

Finally observation seismic points of the 2nd category designed to record earthquakes that are not particularly distant or even local. In view of this, these stations are located Ch. arr. in seismic areas, such as the Caucasus, Turkestan, Altai, Baikal, the Kamchatka Peninsula and Sakhalin Island in our Union. These stations are equipped with heavy pendulums with mechanical registration, have special semi-underground pavilions for installations; they determine the moments of the onset of primary, secondary and long waves, as well as the distance to the epicenter. All these seismic observatories are also in the service of time, since instrumental observations are estimated with an accuracy of a few seconds.

Of the other problems dealt with by the special observatory, we point to the study of lunar-solar attraction, i.e., tidal movements of the earth's crust, analogous to the phenomena of ebb and flow observed in the sea. For these observations, among other things, a special observatory was built inside a hill near Tomsk, and 4 horizontal Zellner system pendulums were installed here in 4 different azimuths. With the help of special seismic installations, observations were made of the oscillations of the walls of buildings under the influence of diesel engines, observations of the oscillations of the abutments of bridges, especially railway ones, during the movement of trains over them, observations of the regime of mineral springs, etc. Recently, seismic observatories have undertaken special expeditionary observations in in order to study the location and distribution of underground layers, which is of great importance in the search for minerals, especially if these observations are accompanied by gravimetric work. Finally, an important expeditionary work of seismic observatories is the production of high-precision levels in areas subject to significant seismic events, because repeated work in these areas makes it possible to accurately determine the magnitude of the horizontal and vertical displacements that occurred as a result of this or that earthquake, and to make a forecast for further displacements. and earthquake events.

The deputies considered a bill that restricts construction on the territory next to the Pulkovo Observatory. Officials propose to introduce into the law "On Urban Development" the obligatory coordination with astronomers of construction projects near the observatory.

These conditions are spelled out in the land use rules, but are not always observed. With the new document, in case of violation, there will be consequences. Now some objects have been built without fulfilling the requirement, the employees of the observatory are going to withdraw the agreed development projects within three kilometers.

We made this decision because high-rise buildings interfere with astronomical observations. Of course, it is clear that it is very good to live in a house with a view from the Pulkovo Heights: a beautiful view, it is expensive, but we must think about our astronomers. And it was in this observatory that great discoveries were made at one time, this is the flagship of our astronomical science, and we have no right to interfere with scientists to engage in observations for the sake of some private, temporary interests, - said Alexander Kobrinsky, deputy of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg.

According to him, if already existing construction decisions are withdrawn, this issue will be decided in court.

This will have a solution not only for existing buildings, it will be important for the new master plan, which will be developed and adopted. An obligatory visa for astronomers is prescribed, they can say: "The building is impossible here, because it interferes with observations," the deputy noted.

Recall that the staff of the observatory has developed regulations for the development of the territory of the park zone, compliance with which will avoid causing damage to its scientific activities. In particular, the building height should not exceed 12 meters, the area - no more than 200 square meters. meters in a single spot, the distance between buildings should be at least 100 meters.

As previously reported, in April 2014, the Investment Council under the Governor of St. Petersburg approved the implementation of Morgal Investments LLC (a subsidiary of the Cypriot Morgal Investments) at the Pulkovo Heights in the Moscow region on a plot of about 240 hectares. Planetograd is a joint project of Israeli companies Canada-Israel and Electra Investments, according to the Canada-Israel website. Morgal Investments is the owner of the site.

It is planned to build about 1.5 million square meters on the site. m of housing, about 277 thousand square meters. m of commercial premises, schools, kindergartens and a cultural and leisure center. The volume of investments in the project is estimated at 102.3 billion rubles. The project was supposed to be completed by 2023.

Moletai observatory was opened in 1969 y, replacing two old Vilnius observatories, one of which appeared in 1753, and the other in 1921. The place for the new one was chosen outside the city, near the village of Kulioniai, on a two-hundred-meter Kaldiniai hill. And a few years ago, a very special museum appeared next to the observatory - the Ethno-Cosmological Museum. Its building is made of aluminum and glass: against the backdrop of local lake-forest landscapes, the museum looks like a landed spaceship. Exposition to match: space artifacts, fragments of meteorites and the mass of all entertaining.

Night sky observations are organized in the museum: the telescope is installed on top of its 45-meter tower in a special dome. But daytime observations of the sun are available both in the museum and in the observatory itself. By the way, since Moletai is considered the absolute champion of Lithuania in terms of the abundance of beautiful lakes, this area is full of holiday houses and spa hotels. Therefore, it is not at all difficult to comfortably sit in the immediate vicinity of the observatory and the museum.

2. Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (Canary Islands, Garafia, La Palma)

Admission fee: free

Roque de los Muchachos, one of the most significant modern scientific observatories, located at an altitude of 2400 meters above sea level near the National Park de la Caldera de Taburiente. The strictly scientific orientation of the observatory is obvious if only from the fact that the use of research equipment is possible only for its intended purpose - for research. Mere mortals will not be allowed to look into telescopes here.

But for those who are interested in more than just stargazing, and astronomy itself as a science, it is definitely worth visiting Roque de los Muchachos. At the disposal of the observatory is one of the largest optical telescopes to date, the Gran Tekan with a reflector of 10.4 meters; a telescope that provides the highest resolution image of the sun to date, and other unique instruments. You can see these devices, learn about the structure of their mechanisms and listen to a lecture on astronomy all year round. Visiting the observatory is free, but you need to book a visit as early as possible: at least two weeks (and in the summer - a month) before the expected date of the visit.

But since the Canaries- this is one of the three best places on the planet for astronomical observations, in addition to Roque de los Muchachos, the islands have the equally large Teide observatory, located in Tenerife (also owned by the Canarian Astrophysical Institute), and private amateur observatories. Some travel agencies even offer special astro-tours to the Canary Islands, accommodating their clients in the most favorable points for independent observations of the islands and organizing group excursions to both Roque de los Muchachos and Teide.

3. Tien Shan Astronomical Observatory (Almaty, Kazakhstan)

Admission fee: to be confirmed upon request

The most important thing in the Tien Shan Astronomical Observatory the place where it was built. This is an ancient glacial valley next to a lake of rare beauty - Big Almaty. Surrounded by mountains, the lake constantly changes the color of the water: depending on the season, weather and time of day.

The altitude of the observatory- 2700 meters above sea level, lakes - 2511. Opened in 1957, the observatory for many years was called the Sternberg State Astronomical Institute, abbreviated SAI. This is how the locals still call it, and it is this abbreviation that should be used if you have to ask them for directions to the observatory. Getting to the observatory, by the way, is not at all as difficult as it might seem - the distance to it from the center of Almaty will take about an hour by car.

Driving a car is not even worth trying.- such a car will not pass above the famous Medeu skating rink, but the jeep will be able to do the road. But if you have no experience of driving in the mountains, it is better to use the service of transporting guests provided by the observatory. By contacting the observatory administration in advance, you can also book a hotel room, mountain excursions and, of course, a stargazing program. When ordering excursions to the mountains, you need to remember that the proximity of glaciers makes itself felt even in the midst of summer, and it will not be out of place to take a winter jacket with you. Even higher in the mountains are the Special Solar Observatory and the Cosmostation, but these institutions do not conduct any educational activities for tourists, so it is almost impossible to get into them.

4. Sonnenborg Observatory Museum (Utrecht, Holland)

Admission fee: €8

Observatory on the canal It is no coincidence that it looks like a fortress: its building is part of the Utrecht bastion of the 16th century. In the 1840s, during the construction of gardens around the bastion, most of its structures were destroyed, and in 1853 an observatory was created in one of the surviving buildings, which at first housed the Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute.

Sonnenborg holds one of the oldest European telescopes, and among the merits of the observatory to world astronomy is that, thanks to the research carried out in it, in 1940 an atlas of lines of the solar spectrum was published. The research was led by the famous astronomer Marcel Minnart, who headed the observatory for 26 years.

By the way, Sonnenborg's status- a public observatory, that is, observations of the stars in it are available to everyone (but only from September to early April). In order to take part in one of the evening sky surveys, you need to apply in advance through the observatory website.

5. San Pedro Valley Observatory (Benson, Arizona, USA)

Cost of visiting: from $130

San Pedro Valley is not just a private observatory, and a whole astronomical center for amateurs. Until 2010, until the owners changed, the observatory even had its own mini-hotel. But the new owners abandoned this idea, and now the guests will have to look for an overnight stay in the nearest town - Benson.

But arrange for them to observe for the stars here are ready around the clock and at any time of the year - the charm of a private observatory in the absence of strict conditions for visiting. The owners came up with a lot of educational and entertainment programs for their customers, and on their basis they are ready to make an individual one for each. You can come to them with the whole family, and in the summer and during holidays you can bring your child to the astronomy camp at the observatory.

Another option for those those who can’t get to Arizona in any way: with the necessary software, it is possible to connect your computer to the observatory’s equipment and watch the stars from your own apartment. But the most important entertainment in San Pedro Valley, space icing on the cake, is astrophotography, available to everyone.

6. Givatayim Astronomical Observatory (Givatayim, Israel)

Observatory in Givatayim- the oldest in Israel and, in fact, the main one. It was built in 1967 on top of a hill with a very foreign name - Kozlovsky, and today the observatory staff conducts ongoing educational activities at various levels - from programs for students studying astronomy to educational circles for children.

In addition to the usual stargazing sessions, everyone can join two special sections: the meteor section and the variable star section. The observatory receives visitors several times a week, and on one of the days there is always a lecture by one of the representatives of the Israel Astronomical Association, whose central office, in fact, is located in the observatory. In addition, you can sign up for a visit on the days of lunar and solar eclipses, as well as attend a lesson that will teach you how to build a telescope yourself.

In addition to the glory of a major educational center, the observatory has a lot of other achievements in the field of important discoveries, and the person who today heads the section for observations of variable stars set a truly Stakhanovite record by making more than 22,000 of these very observations in one year.

7. Kodaikanal Observatory (Kodaikanal, India)

Admission fee: on request

One of the three oldest solar observatories in the world located in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu - aka Tamil Nadu. Its construction began in 1895, on the highest hill in these places, and by the end of construction, part of the equipment of the observatory in Madras, which had been operating since 1787, was moved there. As soon as the Kodaikanal observatory began to function in a full-fledged mode, British scientists immediately settled here, at an altitude of 2343 meters above sea level. In 1909, astronomer John Evershed, working in Kodaikanal, was the first to notice a special, reminiscent of a pulsation, movement of "spots" on the sun: for solar astronomy, his discovery was a major breakthrough. However, scientists were able to explain the reasons for this phenomenon, called the Evershed effect, only a century later.

The observatory has a museum and a library, and for visitors it is open in the evenings once (sometimes twice) a week.

Details Category: The work of astronomers Posted on 11/10/2012 17:13 Views: 7493

An astronomical observatory is a research institution in which systematic observations of celestial bodies and phenomena are carried out.

Usually the observatory is built on an elevated area, where a good outlook opens up. The observatory is equipped with observation instruments: optical and radio telescopes, instruments for processing the results of observations: astrographs, spectrographs, astrophotometers and other devices for characterizing celestial bodies.

From the history of the observatory

It is difficult even to name the time when the first observatories appeared. Of course, these were primitive structures, but nevertheless, observations of heavenly bodies were carried out in them. The most ancient observatories are located in Assyria, Babylon, China, Egypt, Persia, India, Mexico, Peru and other states. The ancient priests, in fact, were the first astronomers, because they observed the starry sky.
An observatory dating back to the Stone Age. It is located near London. This building was both a temple and a place for astronomical observations - the interpretation of Stonehenge as a grand observatory of the Stone Age belongs to J. Hawkins and J. White. Assumptions that this is the oldest observatory are based on the fact that its stone slabs are installed in a certain order. It is well known that Stonehenge was a sacred place of the Druids - representatives of the priestly caste of the ancient Celts. Druids were very well versed in astronomy, for example, in the structure and movement of stars, the size of the Earth and planets, and various astronomical phenomena. About where they got this knowledge, science is not known. It is believed that they inherited them from the true builders of Stonehenge and, thanks to this, they had great power and influence.

Another ancient observatory was found on the territory of Armenia, built about 5 thousand years ago.
In the 15th century in Samarkand, the great astronomer Ulugbek built an outstanding observatory for its time, in which the main instrument was a huge quadrant for measuring the angular distances of stars and other bodies (read about this on our website: http://website/index.php/earth/rabota-astrnom/10-etapi- astronimii/12-sredneverovaya-astronomiya).
The first observatory in the modern sense of the word was the famous museum in Alexandria arranged by Ptolemy II Philadelphus. Aristillus, Timocharis, Hipparchus, Aristarchus, Eratosthenes, Geminus, Ptolemy and others achieved unprecedented results here. Here, for the first time, instruments with divided circles began to be used. Aristarchus installed a copper circle in the plane of the equator and with its help observed directly the times of passage of the Sun through the equinoxes. Hipparchus invented the astrolabe (an astronomical instrument based on the principle of stereographic projection) with two mutually perpendicular circles and diopters for observations. Ptolemy introduced quadrants and installed them with a plumb line. The transition from full circles to quadrants was, in fact, a step backwards, but the authority of Ptolemy kept quadrants on observatories until the time of Römer, who proved that full circles made observations more accurately; however, the quadrants were completely abandoned only at the beginning of the 19th century.

The first observatories of the modern type began to be built in Europe after the invention of the telescope in the 17th century. The first large state observatory - parisian. It was built in 1667. Along with quadrants and other instruments of ancient astronomy, large refracting telescopes were already used here. In 1675 opened Greenwich Royal Observatory in England, on the outskirts of London.
There are more than 500 observatories in the world.

Russian observatories

The first observatory in Russia was the private observatory of A.A. Lyubimov in Kholmogory, Arkhangelsk region, opened in 1692. In 1701, by decree of Peter I, an observatory was created at the Navigation School in Moscow. In 1839, the Pulkovo Observatory near St. Petersburg was founded, equipped with the most advanced instruments, which made it possible to obtain high-precision results. For this, the Pulkovo Observatory was named the astronomical capital of the world. Now there are more than 20 astronomical observatories in Russia, among them the Main (Pulkovo) Astronomical Observatory of the Academy of Sciences is the leading one.

Observatories of the world

Among foreign observatories, the largest are Greenwich (Great Britain), Harvard and Mount Palomar (USA), Potsdam (Germany), Krakow (Poland), Byurakan (Armenia), Vienna (Austria), Crimean (Ukraine), etc. Observatories of various countries share the results of observations and research, often work on the same program to develop the most accurate data.

The device of observatories

For modern observatories, a characteristic view is the building of a cylindrical or polyhedral shape. These are towers in which telescopes are installed. Modern observatories are equipped with optical telescopes located in closed domed buildings or radio telescopes. The light radiation collected by telescopes is recorded by photographic or photoelectric methods and analyzed to obtain information about distant astronomical objects. Observatories are usually located far from cities, in climatic zones with little cloud cover and, if possible, on high plateaus, where atmospheric turbulence is negligible and infrared radiation absorbed by the lower atmosphere can be studied.

Types of observatories

There are specialized observatories that work according to a narrow scientific program: radio astronomy, mountain stations for observing the Sun; some observatories are associated with observations made by astronauts from spacecraft and orbital stations.
Most of the infrared and ultraviolet range, as well as X-rays and gamma rays of cosmic origin, are inaccessible to observations from the Earth's surface. In order to study the Universe in these rays, it is necessary to take observation instruments into space. Until recently, extra-atmospheric astronomy was unavailable. Now it has become a rapidly developing branch of science. The results obtained with space telescopes, without the slightest exaggeration, turned over many of our ideas about the Universe.
The modern space telescope is a unique set of instruments developed and operated by several countries for many years. Thousands of astronomers from all over the world take part in observations at modern orbital observatories.

The picture shows the project of the largest infrared optical telescope at the European Southern Observatory with a height of 40 m.

The successful operation of a space observatory requires the joint efforts of a variety of specialists. Space engineers prepare the telescope for launch, put it into orbit, monitor the power supply of all instruments and their normal functioning. Each object can be observed for several hours, so it is especially important to keep the orientation of the satellite orbiting the Earth in the same direction so that the axis of the telescope remains aimed directly at the object.

infrared observatories

To carry out infrared observations, a rather large load has to be sent into space: the telescope itself, devices for processing and transmitting information, a cooler that should protect the IR receiver from background radiation - infrared quanta emitted by the telescope itself. Therefore, in the entire history of space flight, very few infrared telescopes have operated in space. The first infrared observatory was launched in January 1983 as part of the joint American-European project IRAS. In November 1995, the European Space Agency launched the ISO infrared observatory into low Earth orbit. It has a telescope with the same mirror diameter as IRAS, but more sensitive detectors are used to detect radiation. A wider range of the infrared spectrum is available for ISO observations. Currently, several more projects of space infrared telescopes are being developed, which will be launched in the coming years.
Do not do without infrared equipment and interplanetary stations.

ultraviolet observatories

The ultraviolet radiation of the Sun and stars is almost completely absorbed by the ozone layer of our atmosphere, so UV quanta can only be recorded in the upper layers of the atmosphere and beyond.
For the first time, an ultraviolet reflecting telescope with a mirror diameter (SO cm) and a special ultraviolet spectrometer were launched into space on the joint American-European satellite Copernicus, launched in August 1972. Observations on it were carried out until 1981.
Currently, work is underway in Russia to prepare for the launch of a new ultraviolet telescope "Spektr-UV" with a mirror diameter of 170 cm. observations with ground-based instruments in the ultraviolet (UV) part of the electromagnetic spectrum: 100-320 nm.
The project is headed by Russia and included in the Federal Space Program for 2006-2015. Russia, Spain, Germany and Ukraine are currently participating in the project. Kazakhstan and India are also showing interest in participating in the project. The Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences is the lead scientific organization of the project. The head organization for the rocket and space complex is the NPO named after. S.A. Lavochkin.
The main instrument of the observatory is being created in Russia - a space telescope with a primary mirror 170 cm in diameter. The telescope will be equipped with high and low resolution spectrographs, a long slit spectrograph, as well as cameras for high-quality imaging in the UV and optical regions of the spectrum.
In terms of capabilities, the VKO-UV project is comparable to the American Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and even surpasses it in spectroscopy.
WSO-UV will open up new opportunities for planetary research, stellar, extragalactic astrophysics and cosmology. The launch of the observatory is scheduled for 2016.

X-ray observatories

X-rays convey information to us about powerful cosmic processes associated with extreme physical conditions. The high energy of X-ray and gamma quanta makes it possible to register them "by the piece", with an accurate indication of the time of registration. X-ray detectors are relatively easy to manufacture and light in weight. Therefore, they were used for observations in the upper atmosphere and beyond with the help of high-altitude rockets even before the first launches of artificial earth satellites. X-ray telescopes were installed at many orbital stations and interplanetary spacecraft. In total, about a hundred such telescopes have been in near-Earth space.

gamma-ray observatories

Gamma radiation is closely adjacent to X-rays, so similar methods are used to register it. Very often, telescopes launched into near-Earth orbits simultaneously investigate both X-ray and gamma-ray sources. Gamma rays convey to us information about the processes occurring inside atomic nuclei, and about the transformations of elementary particles in space.
The first observations of cosmic gamma sources were classified. In the late 60s - early 70s. The United States launched four military satellites of the Vela series. The equipment of these satellites was developed to detect bursts of hard X-ray and gamma radiation that occur during nuclear explosions. However, it turned out that most of the recorded bursts are not associated with military tests, and their sources are located not on Earth, but in space. Thus, one of the most mysterious phenomena in the Universe was discovered - gamma-ray flashes, which are single powerful flashes of hard radiation. Although the first cosmic gamma-ray bursts were recorded as early as 1969, information about them was published only four years later.