A slitless spectrograph for small telescopes: initial results
1Zhilyaev, BE, 2Sergeev, AV, 2Andreev, MV, 2Godunova, VG, 1Reshetnyk, VM, 2Taradiy, VK 1Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine 2International Center for Astronomical, Medical and Ecological Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine |
Kinemat. fiz. nebesnyh tel (Online) 2013, 29(3):64-0 |
Start Page: Instruments and Devices |
Language: Russian |
Abstract: A slitless UBVR spectrograph is built for use with small telescopes. Some results of test observations with the Zeiss-600 telescope on peak Terskol give grounds to expect that the spectrograph is an effective tool for the study of transients in variable stars with high temporal resolution. The resolution of the spectrograph is R ≈ 100 in the vicinity of 480 nm and the accuracy of the wavelength determination is about 3 nm. The spectrograph provides a moderate signal-to-noise ratio for stars up to 16th magnitude. It allows us to measure the equivalent widths of not blended lines down to about 0.1 nm. Specialized software based on the theory of quantum statistics is developed. It allows one to detect variations about 10-5—10-6 in the relative power spectrum with respect to the bolometric flux from a star. Some observations obtained with the spectrograph revealed variations in the Balmer emission lines and lines of Ca II H, K in the flare star EV Lac in the subsecond range. Spectroscopic monitoring allows us to investigate stellar flares with small amplitudes, to perform a compre hensive colorimetric analysis of the burst plasma, to determine flare temperature and sizes at a maximum of light intensity. Observations of a transit of HAT-P- 1 B showed that the chromospheric activity index of the hosting star remains constant during a transit. A slitless low-resolution spectrograph opens new prospects for the study of active processes on stellar surfaces. |
Keywords: small telescope, spectrograph |
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