Exoplanet observations have been performed on the automated Pulkovo Observatory telescopes. We have obtained 33 transit light curves for 16 known exoplanets and six transit observations for three exoplanet candidates discovered by the Kepler telescope. Based on our observations, we have reliably confirmed the existence of an exoplanet with an extremely large radius, R pl = 1.83 ± 0.16R Jup, in the system KOI 256 and detected a strong deviation of its orbital revolution from the theoretically predicted one. During the transit of the exoplanet WASP-12b across the stellar disk, we detected bursts that could be caused by the planet transit across spots on the star or by the presence of a satellite around this exoplanet. We detected possible periodic variations in the duration of the exoplanet transit across the stellar disk with time for HAT-P-12b that could be caused by variations in orbital inclination. The transit duration and depth, the central transit time, and the radius and orbital inclination of the planet have been estimated. The equilibrium temperature and albedo have been estimated for several exoplanets.

In 2009, in five Russian observatories photometric observations of Jupiter’s Galilean satellites during their mutual occultations and eclipses were carried out. Based on these observations, an original method was used to ascertain astrometric results such as the difference between the coordinates of pairs of satellites. Fifty-three phenomena were successfully observed. A total of 94 light curves of satellites were measured. The error in the coordinates of satellites due to random errors in photometry, calculated on all data obtained, was 0.041″ in right ascension and 0.046″ in declination. The discrepancies between the theory and observations in these coordinates was found to be 0.060″ and 0.057″, respectively. The results were uploaded to the common database for all observations of natural satellites of planets at the Natural Satellites Data Center (NSDC), which is available online at http://www.sai.msu.ru/neb/nss/index.htm . For the first time in the practice of photometric observations of satellites in epochs of mutual occultations and eclipses a new method of observation was tested, which eliminates from astrometric results the major systematic errors caused by an inaccurate account of the background level. The tests were conducted in the Terskol Observatory and the observatory of the Crimean laboratory of the Sternberg State Astronomical Institute of the Moscow State University. The application of the new method showed that the elimination of the background level at these observatories was carried out correctly.

Дается краткое описание процесса астрометрических и фотометрических наблюдений и их обработки на автоматизированном комплексе на базе телескопа ЗА-320М Пулковской обсерватории. Приводятся основные результаты астрометрических и фотометрических наблюдений тел Солнечной системы, полученные за период 1997–2007 гг., в частности, результаты астрометрических наблюдений опасных объектов (ОСЗ – объектов, сближающихся с Землей), а также результаты астрометрических наблюдений системы Плутон–Харон. Кроме того, приводятся результаты фотометрических наблюдений спутников планет, взаимных явлений в системе спутников Юпитера и покрытия звезды 2559 из каталога HIPPARCOS астероидом (111) Ате.

A brief description of the process of astrometric and photometric observations and their processing by an automatic complex, based on Pulkovo Observatory’s ZA-320M telescope, is presented. The basic results of astrometric and photometric observations of Solar System bodies obtained during 1997–2007 are given. They include, in particular, the results of astrometric observations of dangerous objects ( Near Earth Objects — NEOs), as well as the results of astrometric observations of the Pluto-Charon system. In addition, the paper presents the results of photometric observations of planetary satellites, the mutual phenomena in the system of Jupiter’s satellites, and the 2559 star occultation by the (111) Ate asteroid from the HIPPARCOS catalogue.

This paper presents the operating principle of a video readout device intended for automatically aiming a telescope tube at a given object. The optical layout of the given device is depicted, and a detailed description is also given of an algorithm that makes it possible to reconstruct the digital reading from optical images of the coordinate scales, obtained from a video readout device in real time. This work is one of the chief stages in the complete automation of the process of astronomical observations on one of the telescopes of the Pulkovo Observatory and is extremely necessary for solving astronomical problems at a modern level. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America.

AbstractAt Pulkovo Observatory, we conduct observations of various Solar System bodies: major planets, their satellites, comets, and asteroids, including Near Earth Objects. For these purposes, a robotic telescope was constructed on the base of the ZA–320 Mirror Astrograph (D=320 mm, F=3200 mm). It can perform CCD observations of Solar System bodies with the limiting magnitude of up to 19.0.Independent ephemeris support is provided by the EPOS software package developed at Pulkovo Observatory; it includes tracing of catalogues of comets and asteroids, regular ephemeris calculations, and control of observations. CCD frame processing is done by the Apex automatic data reduction package developed at Pulkovo Observatory.In 2001-2006, more than 12000 observations of minor Solar System bodies were collected, including more than 6000 positions of 656 NEAs, about 1200 observations of 27 comets, and about 2000 observations of major planets satellites. The mean accuracy of obtained positions is 0″.09−0″.40. Results of observations are regularly submitted to the Minor Planet Center.Currently, ZA–320M is the 16-th of more than 680 telescopes in the worldwide rating of those that observe NEAs (by the number of observations).In the near future, our group is planning to start observations with another two robotic telescopes: MTM–500 (D=500 mm, F=4000 mm Maksutov) and 1-meter telescope (D=1000 mm, F=1200 mm) of the Pulkovo mountain station at Northern Caucasus (Kislovodsk, 2100 m above sea level). These two instruments will allow to increase the number of observations, their accuracy, and limiting magnitude (up to 20.5 mag).