Automated Panoramic Photopolarimeter of High Time Resolution of the BTA N1 Focus

Abstract—The design and functions of the main component of the automated complex for the study of astrophysical objects with high time resolution at the 6-m telescope of SAO RAS—a permanently available photopolarimeter installed at the N1 focus of the BTA for alert observations of optical transient sources are described. The device operates in several modes (up to six in perspective)—spectral, polarimetric, photometric, the choice of which is determined after real-time analysis of the image of the object localization area, recorded in the subview with a field of view of \(2\mathop .\limits^\prime 5 \times 3'\). The radiation from the vicinity of the detected source is transferred to a diaphragm of variable size from \(10'' \times 10''\) to \(60'' \times 10''\) and, depending on its brightness, passed through one of the \(UBVR\) filters or dispersed by the Abbe prism, is recorded by the EMCCD with a time resolution of 0.1 s. In this case, it is possible to introduce a double Wollaston prism into the input beam, which ensures the measurement of the object’s linear polarization. To compensate for the rotation of the instrument’s field of view during observations on the balcony of the N1 focus, a turntable is used, the position of which is set by the telescope’s control system. Control of the observation process, selection and change of modes is carried out using a graphical interface. The automatic implementation of these operations is being tested.