Present status of astronomy in Uzbekistan

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting 21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Present status of astronomy in Present status of astronomy in UzbekistanUzbekistan

Prof. Shuhrat Ehgamberdiev Ulugh Beg Institute of Astronomy,

Uzbek Academy of SciencesTashkent, Uzbekistan

History of Maidanak observatory

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting 21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

• The Maidanak mountain was selected as a suitable for astronomical observations site nearly 40 years ago. It was result of almost decade long site testing campaign of the UBAI in 1960s.

• It is indirect, but nevertheless very important contribution of the Ulugh Beg Astronomical Institute to the astronomical science.

• First 25 years the Mt. Maidanak was a site were several scientific institutions of the FSU had installed their facilities and operated them independently for variety astronomical programs.

• Due to neighborhood with the Soviet Satellite Ranging Station Mt.Maidanak was closed for any foreign organization and individuals.

• After collapse of the FSU a new era begins at Maidanak – the era of an international cooperation. Today Maidanak observatory involved to more than 20 collaborative observational programs with astronomical institutions in the U.S., Europe and Asian countries.

• About two years ago our colleagues from National Astronomical Observatory of Japan initiated the process of development of international coordination of Maidanak activities. By now it involves only Asian countries. I hope in the future we will able to involve to community of Maidanak’s enthusiasts our partners from the US and Europe.

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting 21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Atmospheric conditions at the Maidanak observatory

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting 21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Monthly fraction of clear nights

Ehgamberdiev et al, 2000 Astron.Astrophys.Suppl.Ser., v. 145. p.293.

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting 21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Seeing conditions at Mt. Maidanak

Ehgamberdiev et al, 2000 Astron.Astrophys.Suppl.Ser., v. 145. p.293.

Relative contribution of the different layers to the overall seeing at Maidanak observatory

№ Layers Level Contribution of layer

References

1. Surface layer

5.5-25.5 m

8% Ilyasov & Tillayev, 2004

2. Boundary layer

Up to 1-2 km

56% Kornilov, Ehgamberdiev et al, 2009

3. Free atmosphere

Above 2 km

30-40% Kornilov, Ehgamberdiev et al, 2009

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting 21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

High towers

Atmospheric parameters relevant to high angular resolution

Atmospheric parameters relevant to high angular resolution observations at Maidanak

№ Observatories Parameters (median)

Seeing, arcsec

£0, m

0, ms 0,

arcsec

1. Maidanak 0.69 25.9 12.0 2.48

2. La Silla 0.87 25.0 4.2 1.26

3. Paranal 0.66 22.0 1.90

4. Cerro Pachon 36.0 2.80

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting 21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Maidanak observatory

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting 21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

International collaboration

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting 21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

UBAI’s partners as of 2010

QSO/AGNs, BLazars, GRBs, GLSs

•QSO/AGNs - University of Pittsburgh, USA•BLazars - INAF, Torino, Italy•GLS/Gaya - EPFL/Geneva Observatory, Switzerland•GLS/Galaxies/Asteroseismology - SAI, Moscow•GLS - AI KNU, Kharkov, Ukraine•GRBs - IKI, Moscow, Russia

UBAI’s partners as of 2010

Stars Clusters, Variable Stars, Asteroids, Transits, Cosmic Debris

•QSOs/SNs/Clusters/Transits - The Astron. Consortium of

Korean Universities, Korea•Clusters/Variables - UJF LAOG, Grenoble, France•Variables/KH 15D - Wesleyan University, Middletown, USA •MBA/NEA asteroids - NAOJ, Tokyo, Japan•Cosmic Debris - CAO, Sankt-Petersburg, Russia•Cosmic Debris - PulCOO cooperation, Moscow, Russia•Earth Shine/Asteroseismology - Tsing Hua University, Taiwan•Astroclimate - ESO, Garching, Germany, Univ. of Nice, France

Main fields of scientific research

• QSOs, AGNs and BL Lac type objects• Gamma-ray burst afterglows• Gravitationally lensed systems• Open clusters• Various types of variable stars• Asteroids: MBA, NEA, young family• Astroclimate• Earthshine and asteroseismology with TAT

Scientific output

• About 250 scientific papers since 1993 (more then 500 since 1970)

• 35 Ph.D. thesis and 7 Doktor phys.-mat. sciences dissertations since 1993

• About 40 young students working at present in UBAI

Attestation Report on Astronomy in the Republic of Uzbekistan

Apparently the world is now becoming aware that Maidanak is one of the best astronomical sites in the northern hemisphere, and possibly the best. The future looks quite bright, because international collaboration with Uzbek astronomers will lead to improved infrastructure, telescopes and instruments on Mt Maidanak.

A survey of research papers in ADS with at least one Uzbek author and published in the fifteen years 1991 – 2005 since Independence, showed that there were 142 papers published in this time which is unusually high for a developing country.

Yours trulyJohn HearnshawProfessor of AstronomyUniversity of Canterbury, New ZealandChairperson, Program Group for the World-wide Development of AstronomyIAU Commission 46

Taiwan Automated Telescope

Satellite receiver (Russian)

AP-1 AP-2

Owner's dome

EnclosurePC

HUBHUB

Control Room

TAT AZT-22

Satellite

PC

Other astronomical sites and astronomical education in

Uzbekistan

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting ,21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Yearly amount of clear time

Observatory Clear time in % from maximum possible amount

Median seeing, arcsec

MaidanakSamarkandSuffaParkent

585450

80 (in summer)

0.701.541.051.01

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting ,21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Seeing conditions at Uzbekistan sites

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting ,21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Grubb Parsons Telescope Tower

Grubb Parsons Telescope

Asteroseismology in Samarkand Observatory

Andijan Telescope

Andijan Telescope

Parkent (1100m) Solar furnace

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting ,21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Thanks for your attention!

The 2nd Maidanak Users Meeting 21-25 June 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan