A moderate-resolution Nasmyth-focus spectrograph of the 6-m BTA telescope

We report on the development of a fast crossed-dispersion spectrograph (CRAB) mounted at the Nasmyth focus of the 6-m telescope. The spectrograph is designed for visible and near-infrared (3800–10 500 Å) CCD observations with the spectral resolution R=4000. We give the basic parameters of the optical scheme and the parameters of the echelle frame. We determined the gain involved in putting the spectrograph into observational practice and discuss the possible range of spectroscopic problems for which the instrument is optimal.     

Spectropolarimetric observations of active galactic nuclei with the 6-m BTA telescope

We present the results of our spectropolarimetric observations for a number of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) carried out at the 6-m telescope with the SCORPIO focal reducer. The derived wavelength dependences of the polarization have been analyzed by taking into account the Faraday rotation of the polarization plane on the photon mean free path in a magnetized accretion disk. As a result, based on traditional accretion disk models, we have determined the magnetic field strength and distribution and a number of physical parameters of the accreting plasma in the region where the optical radiation is generated.     

Study of the physics and evolution of stars at the 6-m BTA telescope

Since 1978, extensive observations of stars have been performed at the 6-m BTA telescope using both standard and newly developed instruments. We give a retrospective review of the results obtained within the framework of observational programs carried out at the 6-m telescope and aimed at the study of the physics and evolution of single and multiple stars of different masses.     

Technique of polarimetric observations of faint objects at the 6-m BTA telescope

We describe the technique of spectropolarimetric observations allowing for the measurements of the Stokes parameters in one of the observational modes of the SCORPIO focal reducer of the 6-m BTA telescope of the SAO RAS. The characteristics of the instrument in the spectropolarimetric mode of observations are given. We present the algorithm of observational data reduction. The capabilities of the SCORPIO spectropolarimetric mode are demonstrated on the examples of observations of various astronomical objects.     

Fiber-optic magnetometer for prime focus of 6-m BTA telescope based on suspended echelle spectrograph

We have developed and manufactured a fiber-optic magnetometer for the prime focus of the 6-m BTA telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences based on a suspended echelle spectrograph. The magnetometer is designed to improve the spectrum stability and eliminate the effect of instrumental polarization of the diagonal mirror on the results of magnetic field measurements. The magnetometer is to be used for measurements of stellar magnetic fields in stars and to study their chemical composition. The instrument operates in the 5000–6800 Å wavelength interval with mean reciprocal dispersion of 0.15 Å/pixel. According to the estimates for 9 ^m .5 stars, the standard error of magnetic field measurements based on 400 spectral lines would be 100 G for a half-hour exposure.     

The SCORPIO universal focal reducer of the 6-m telescope

We describe the SCORPIO focal reducer that has been used since the fall of 2000 for observations on the 6-m Special Astrophysical Observatory telescope. We give parameters of the instrument in various observing modes (direct imaging, long-slit and multislit spectroscopy, spectropolarimetry, Fabry-Perot panoramic spectroscopy). Observations of various astronomical objects are used as examples to demonstrate the SCORPIO capabilities.     

Spectroscopy of candidate metal-deficient galaxies with the 6-m telescope

We present the first results of our program of search for the most metal-deficient blue compact galaxies (BCGs) carried out with the 6-m Special Astrophysical Observatory telescope. The results of spectrophotometry are presented and discussed for ten galaxies from the Case and Hamburg/SAO surveys. The selection of candidates, observations, and data reduction are described in detail. For all the galaxies studied, we measured the intensity of the [O III] λ4363 Å emission line, which allows us to properly determine the temperatures of H II regions and to deduce elemental abundances. We measured the intensities of all the detected emission lines in H II regions of the galaxies under study and determined the abundances of oxygen and neon in them and in some of these galaxies, of other elements (N, S, He, Ar, and Fe). The oxygen abundance log (O/H)+12 in six galaxies was derived with an error ≤0.1 dex. Six of the ten galaxies studied turned out to be metal-poor with an oxygen abundance ≤1/10 of its solar value [i.e., 12+log(O/H)≤7.92]. HS 0837+4717 with 12+log(O/H) ≤7.7 is one of the most metal-poor galaxies in this sample and one of the candidates for young galaxies. Low-contrast, broad emission components of the nebular [O III]λ4959 and 5007 Å lines were detected in its spectrum, suggesting high velocities of gas motions in this galaxy.     

Polarimetry of major Uranian moons at the 6-m telescope

We present the results of polarimetric observations of the icymoons of Uranus (Ariel, Titania, Oberon, and Umbriel) performed at the 6-m BTA telescope of the SAO RAS with the SCORPIO-2 focal reducer within the phase angle range of $0_.^ \circ 06 - 2_.^ \circ 37$ . The parameters of the negative polarization branch (referred to the scattering plane) are obtained in the V filter: for Ariel the maximum branch depth of P _min ≈ ?1.4% is reached at the phase angle of α _min ≈ 1°; for Titania P _min ≈ ?1.2%, $\alpha _{\min } \approx 1_.^ \circ 4$ ; for Oberon P _min ≈ ?1.1%, $\alpha _{\min } \approx 1_.^ \circ 8$ . For Umbriel the polarization minimum was not reached: for the last measurement point at $\alpha _{\min } \approx 2_.^ \circ 4$ , polarization amounts to ?1.7%. The declining P _min and shifting α_min towards larger phase angles correlate with a decrease of the geometric albedo of the Uranian moons. There is no longitudinal dependence of polarization for the moons within the observational errors which indicates a similarity in the physical properties of the leading and trailing hemispheres. The phase-angle dependences of polarization for the major moons of Uranus are quite close to those observed in the group of small trans-Neptunian objects (Ixion, Huya, Varuna, 1999 DE9, etc.), which are characterized by a large gradient of negative polarization, about ?1% per degree in the phase-angle range of $0_.^ \circ 1 - 1^ \circ$ .     

Radial velocity measurements with stellar spectrographs of the 6-m telescope

Solutions are considered that allow the accuracy of stellar radial velocity measurements with the spectroscopic instruments of the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences to be improved. The factors that limit the accuracy of spectroscopic V _r measurements are analyzed both in general and for the particular design of the telescope and its housing.     

Detection of an intergalactic meteor particle with the 6-m telescope

On July 28, 2006 the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences recorded the spectrum of a faint meteor. We confidently identify the lines of FeI and MgI, OI, NI and molecular-nitrogen (N₂) bands. The entry velocity of the meteor body into the Earth’s atmosphere estimated from radial velocity is equal to 300 km/s. The body was several tens of a millimeter in size, like chondrules in carbon chondrites. The radiant of the meteor trajectory coincides with the sky position of the apex of the motion of the Solar system toward the centroid of the Local Group of galaxies. Observations of faint sporadic meteors with FAVOR TV CCD camera confirmed the radiant at a higher than 96% confidence level. We conclude that this meteor particle is likely to be of extragalactic origin. The following important questions remain open: (1) How metal-rich dust particles came to be in the extragalactic space? (2) Why are the sizes of extragalactic particles larger by two orders of magnitude (and their masses greater by six orders of magnitude) than common interstellar dust grains in our Galaxy? (3) If extragalactic dust surrounds galaxies in the form of dust (or gas-and-dust) aureoles, can such formations now be observed using other observational techniques (IR observations aboard Spitzer satellite, etc.)? (4) If inhomogeneous extragalactic dust medium with the parameters mentioned above actually exists, does it show up in the form of irregularities on the cosmic microwave background (WMAP etc.)?     

High-resolution fibre-fed spectrograph for the 6-m telescope. Polarimetric unit

We report the computation of the design of a polarimetric unit for the optical scheme of the fiberfed high-resolution spectrograph for the 6-m Russian telescope.We discuss a variant of its integration into the design of conversion optics at the input of the fiber path if the instrument and estimate the efficiency of the entire pre-fiber optical system. The luminous efficiency of the assembly is equal to 80 and 90% when operated in the polarimetry and normal spectroscopic modes, respectively.We estimate the lower limit for the distorting instrumental effects of the polarimetric unit.     

Spectropolarimetric Observations of the Unique White Dwarf GD 356 on the 6-m BTA

The results of spectropolarimetric observations of a unique magnetic white dwarf with emission lines, GD 356, on the 6-m BTA are presented. The star's magnetic field is estimated and it is shown not to rotate over times of 5 yr. Allowance for magnetic deformation of the star's surface, resulting an a nonuniform temperature distribution over its surface, showed that in the region of the magnetic poles the conditions may be satisfied for a radiative diskon in the form of a plasma jet, originating from the action of cyclotron radiation pressure. It is shown that the effect of nonuniformity of the surface temperature distribution of the white dwarf can produce the observed broad-band and resonance polarization of the stellar emission.     

First observations with the 64-m Kalyazin telescope included in a ground-based—space interferometer: The quasar 3C 147

The 64-m radio telescope equipped with an S-2 recording system in the town of Kalyazin was involved in an international fine-structure survey of quasars and active galactic nuclei carried out with a ground-based—space radio interferometer. The HALCA Japanese satellite in an orbit with an altitude of up to 24 000 km with an 8-m antenna was used as a space element of the interferometer. A radio image of the inner region of the CSS-type quasar 3C 147 was obtained with an angular resolution of ～0.3 mas at 6 cm. The image exhibits a core and several jet components mostly arranged in the main jet direction, but one of the components moves across the jet. No evidence was found for the superluminal separation of jet components. The estimated brightness temperature,～10¹¹ K, is consistent with the theoretical limit imposed by synchro-Compton radiation.     

PHOKA experiment: Description of the equipment and first results

The CORONAS-PHOTON Russian satellite intended to study the Sun was successfully launched into orbit on January 30, 2009. Scientific equipment of the satellite includes the PHOKA radiometer of soft X-ray and extreme UV radiation. The PHOKA instrument is intended to measure the absolute flux of solar electromagnetic radiation in the spectral windows of 0.5–7 nm, 0.5–11 nm, 27–37 nm, and 116–125 nm. When leaving and entering the Earth’s shadow, the instrument aboard the spacecraft measures absorption of radiation by various layers of the Earth’s atmosphere. Before the launch, photodiodes of the instrument had been calibrated using a synchrotron radiation source. In-flight stability of sensitivity of main channels is controlled using calibration channels. The paper describes the PHOKA instrument and presents its capabilities and main characteristics, as well as some results of its operation in orbit.     

SCORPIO-2 guiding and calibration system in the prime focus of the 6-m telescope

We describe a device (adapter) for off-axis guiding and photometric calibration of wide-angle spectrographs operating in the prime focus of the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences. To compensate coma in off-axis star images an achromatic lens corrector is used, which ensures maintaining image quality (FWHM) at a level of about 1″ within 15′ from the optical axis. The device has two 54″-diameter movable guiding fields, which can move in 10′ × 4.′5 rectangular areas. The device can perform automatic search for guiding stars, use them to control the variations of atmospheric transmittance, and focus the telescope during exposure. The limiting magnitude of potential guiding stars is m _R ~ 17^m. The calibration path whose optical arrangement meets the telecentrism condition allows the spectrograph to be illuminated both by a source of line spectrum (a He–Ne–Ar filled lamp) and by a source of continuum spectrum. The latter is usually represented either by a halogen lamp or a set of light-emitting diodes, which provide illumination of approximately uniform intensity over the wavelength interval from 350 to 900 nm. The adapter is used for observations with SCORPIO-2 multimode focal reducer.     

Dichroic circular polarization analyzer for the Main Stellar Spectrograph of the 6-m telescope

We describe a dichroic circular polarization analyzer with a double image slicer providing seven slices for each polarization developed for the Main Stellar Spectrograph of the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The analyzer is designed for measuring stellar magnetic fields using the Zeeman effect and represents an upgraded version compared to earlier used polarization analyzers. We report the parameters of the analyzer and estimate the accuracy of measurements performed with it.