Excursion to the largest telescope in Eurasia

• Excursion to the largest telescope in Eurasia

To get to this place in the mountains of Karachayevo-Cherkessia, I would like a very long time. And finally, my little dream - to see in action Big Telescope Special Astrophysical Observatory in Russia, - has come true!

Of course, I had heard about the large size of the telescope, the construction process that lasted 15 years, but when I got close to him, and it is a unique structure did not fit in my lens "fisheye" was really surprised! However, a few good shots, I did - and our group was lucky, we've been in the underground part of the observatory, and I took some pictures from the air, which want to offer readers of the blog.

In the valley of the river Big Zelenchuk near Nizhny Arkhyz, in the 60s of the last century was built Research Institute, Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The main platform for the observation was a place at an altitude of 2100 meters near the mountain Pastukhov.

Here is the Big Telescope Alt-azimuthal (BTA), with a diameter monolithic mirror 6 meters.

On the left of the telescope - a special crane, which was used in the construction of the tower and the telescope.

The height of the dome of the telescope - more than 50 meters, it is made of aluminum.

The diameter of the dome - about 45 meters. The shutter is moved to the center of the top, providing follow-up. The dome itself at the same time can rotate around its axis.

This kind is disclosed from the dome top.

Go inside.

In this hall visitors tell the history of the observatory, what she was doing. The decision on the construction of a six-meter telescope mirror was made in 1960. A few years went on design and construction, including more than three years to make mirrors and, in 1975, the observatory was put into operation.

Climb the stairs to the room where the telescope is mounted.

The size of the telescope is staggering. What you see in the photo, is the bottom a circular platform on which the mirror is fixed. This machine weighing 650 tons can move smoothly on its axis.

The light from the mirror is collected, concentrated and reflected to the upper part of the telescope, wherein the primary receiver is located. The focal length of the telescope in the end - 24 meters! But if you use an additional mirror that throws the light back, and then one side of the focus, the focal length is increased to 180 meters!

Fold the dome closed.

We were lucky when we opened the dome and the telescope showed the work in action! At the bottom of the mechanisms that open the flap.

The dome, by the way, hollow inside, up the stairs you can climb to the highest point of the telescope.

View from the telescope.

In the dome you can climb on special ladders. Some of our group is made even

Telescope slowly unfolding silently.

Folds mirror revealed slowly.

Early in the top, reminiscent of a glass, he was a man who took the signal. Now it is done by electronics. A signal is transmitted in the working premises.

If you think that "glass" for the human small, then yes, you are right

After the demonstration of the telescope we went down to the lower levels to see which devices to keep things running.

The telescope is mounted on the slewing platform with a vertical axis of the penalty. The upper part of the platform we have seen above - a circle with a diameter of 12 meters and below, it goes into a spherical ring which acts as a bearing.

annulus rests on spherical supports the fluid friction, and three rigid three spring-loaded.

We go down to the floor below. Here the rotational drive is located. This two wheels for tracking objects in two planes.

Since the. Telescope support rests on the oil, then its movement lacks a small engine, in 1 kW. In the picture, however, is not he, but the installation in the next room.

We go down even lower. This lower bearing block which is fixed axis.

The foundation of the telescope separated from the common ground of the tower to avoid unnecessary vibration.

Then we got to the telescope control room. Hence the open - closed all the doors and devices.

Hardware, where observers control equipment.

staff rest room. Here has its own kitchen

to build a hotel for the scientists next to the observatory. After work, watching the stars, night falls

Telescope BTA remained the largest telescope in the world since 1975, while 18 years later it has not exceeded the Keck telescope in the United States. Now it is the largest telescope in our continent, and to conduct research on it is written in the queue.