Star occultation by small bodies of the Solar system: current state of observations in Ukraine

Abstract

Observations of stars’ occultations by small bodies of the Solar system allow solving of a series of problems described in this article. The Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, together with the Astronomical Observatory of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, created a software and hardware complex for observing the star coatings with long-focus telescopes. The complex uses a highly sensitive Apogee Alta U47 CCD camera in time delay integration (TDI) mode. It also includes a focus reducer with a block of light filters. The stationary variant of the complex can be used on the AZT-2 telescope of MAO NAS of Ukraine and the AZT-14 of the Lesniki observation station. The mobile complex is also made on the basis of the telescope of Newton’s system (D = 203 mm, F = 1200 mm) and the computerized installation of Sky-Watcher EQ-5 with the GOTO system for field observations. The worth of occultation observations increases significantly when using several observation points. To this end, we have initiated the gathering of the group of observers and their instrumentation from Ukrainian astronomical institutions, both professional and amateur. The Odesa Astronomical Observatory is presented in the group by the Richie-Chrétien telescope OMT-800 (D = 800 mm, F = 2134 mm) with the CCD camera QHY174M GPS at the Mayaki station and Schmidt system telescope (D = 271.25 mm, F = 440 mm) with the “VIDEO SCAN-415-2001” camera at the Kryzhanivka station. The group also includes several amateur observatories. Among them, there are stations in the village of Petrovka in the Odesa region, the astronomical observatory of Lozova school in the Ternopil region, private astronomical observatory L33 at Ananiiv, the Odesa region, and private observatory L58 “Heavenly Owl” in the town of Velikodolinskoye, the Odesa region. A description of the equipment used in these observation points and several examples of effective observations of occultations obtained by this group are given.