HOU in Russia Irina GUSEVA St Petersburg - Central (Pulkovo) Astronomical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences - St Petersburg State University, Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics, Department of Astronomy

Main difficulties for HOU in Russia: Language problems in high/secondary schools Astronomy is excluded (!) from the obligatory education program of high/secondary schools of high/secondary schools No special teachers for astronomy (physics/mathematics), old educational programs No support from government for astronomical education programs NEW : demographic problem – Russian cross caused a gap of 90 th – lost new generation (10-20 years old) of 90 th – lost new generation (10-20 years old)

New advantages for HOU in Russia More attention was paid to common education during last two years All high/secondary schools are equipped with computers More than 70% of high/secondary schools (including country schools) received Internet access (April, 2007) Very new (June 2007): a special department of scientific- educational programs was formalized at Pulkovo observatory

HOU center at Pulkovo observatory

Instruments: Double Short Focus Astrograph: D = 100 mm F = 712 mm Objective prism UBVRI filters CCD ST-8 (SBIG) 1020 x 1530, 9 x 9 mkm Field Of View - 44' x 67 Scale - 2.6"/pixel

What we made with this instrument Astrometry and photometry of star fields, open clusters, supernovae, asteroids and comets,… Providing practice of observations for students of St Petersburg State University Diploma works of students of the St Petersburg State University Simple scientific works with high/secondary scholars, participation in different competition (regional, state, international - ESO) in different competition (regional, state, international - ESO)

Winners of ESO competition Catch a star!

Instruments now: Maksutov telescope MTM-200: D = 200 mm F = 1450 mm Objective prism, UBVRI filters CCD-camera ST-8 (SBIG) – 1020 x 1530 pixels, 9 x 9 mkm Field Of View - 21' x 32', scale - 1.3"/pixel Tasks for this instrument: Astrometry and photometry of star fields, open clusters, supernovae, asteroids and comets,… Providing practice of observations for students of St Petersburg State University Diploma works of students of the St Petersburg State University Simple scientific works with high/secondary scholars

Instruments now: Tracker (RST-220) D = 220 mm F = 508 mm CCD-camera PL1001E (FLI) – 1024 x 1024 pixels, 24 x 24 mkm Field Of View - 2°78 x 2°78, scale - 9.8"/pixel Future CCD - PL09000 (FLI) – 3072 x 3072 pixels, 12 x 12 mkm Field Of View - 4°15 x 4°15, scale - 4.9"/pixel Tasks: Space debris observations Search for asteroids and comets

Instruments now: Meade LXD-75 (10) with DSI-Pro camera Telescope for different tasks and works with high/secondary scholars and teachers. New robotic 0.5 m telescope is created (to be installed at Ussurijsk Astrophysical Observatory of the RAS in early 2008) – collaboration with Moscow Institute of Physics and Technics

Pulkovo cooperation of optical observers Space debris observations - collaboration with European Space Agency Classification of geosynchronous objects, Issue 9, February 2007: ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 4.8 Unidentified objects In this list there are objects which were observed repeatedly by ground based telescopes but not correlated to a specific launch (i.e. their origin is not determined yet… …….. The listed orbits are produced from measurements obtained in They are a joint product of the wide co-operation of organizations including: - - RAS Center on collection, processing and analysis of information on space debris at the Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics (KIAM RAS, Moscow), - Central (Pulkovo) Astronomical Observatory (St.Petersburg): - scientific observation facilities network coordinated by KIAM RAS and Central (Pulkovo) Astronomical Observatory (St.Petersburg): Crimean Astrophysical Observatory (Nauchny), Odessa Astronomical Observatory (Mayaki), Ussuriysk Astrophysical Observatory, Ulugbek Astronomical Observatory (Maidanak and Kitab facilities), Abastumani Astronomical Observatory, Tarija Observatory (Bolivia) - Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern.

Observatories of PulCOO + Observatory in Tarija, Bolivia (23 cm, 60 cm)

Our plans Russian HOU site creation for efficient collaboration with all groups in different regions which desire to join HOU projects Development of collaboration between Russian HOU participants and all other HOU groups in different countries. Development of adequate courses of lectures / curriculums on modern astronomy, observation technique, data processing, etc Creation of national automated telescopes network for scientific and educational purposes (and connection for scientific and educational purposes (and connection with international network). with international network).

Just now – 2 telescopes, 2 domes

Thanks for attention! Special thanks to the LCOGT and GHOU LOC helping us to attend this conference!