Astronomical Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences

The Astronomical Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences was founded in 1953, when the state observatory on Skalnaté Pleso (founded in 1943 by Dr. Bečvář) got a status of astronomical institute and became one of the founding institutes of the newly born Slovakian Academy of Sciences. In memories of past and current employees, the institute and the observatory on Skalnaté Pleso were always blended in one and therefore one could consider for the year of the institute foundation already the 1943. Currently, it has its headquarters at Tatranská Lomnica.[1]

Headquarters of the astronomical institute.

Field of research and organization of the institute
Astronomical and meteorological station on the Lomnický štít (working since 1960), which is the third highest summit of Slovakia.

The institute focuses its research on the Sun, interplanetary matter (comets, meteoroids, asteroids) and on astrophysical research of variable and chemically peculiar stars. It has about 65 permanent employees of which roughly 50 are active researchers. It is divided into 3 departments: [2]

Department of Solar Physics

Interest in solar atmospheric activity led the department to focus on many processes in the solar photosphere, chromosphere and corona based on spectral line analysis using observational data from the Vacuum Tower Telescope (VTT) on Tenerife and utilization of data from Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), including their own coronal observations. The head of the department is Aleš Kučera.

Department of Interplanetary Matter

Research employs photometry and astrometry of asteroids and comets using the main telescope of Skalnaté Pleso observatory. Furthermore, fish-eye cameras are used to detect bolides on the sky. The head of the department is Ján Svoreň.

Stellar Physics Department

This department is focused on binary and multiple stellar systems. Its research employs spectroscopy and utilization of synthetic spectra and stellar databases from space-based observatories like HST, Hipparcos and the TYCHO catalogues. The head of the department is Drahomír Chochol.

Facilities of the Institute

The institute has mountain observatories at Skalnaté Pleso, Lomnický štít and a theoretical department in Bratislava (founded in 1955), which is a statewide coordinating body for research of interplanetary matter. Moreover, it runs several full-sky photographic chambers (bolide cameras) which are part of European bolide network.

The astronomical observatory at Skalnaté Pleso (1783 m) was founded in 1943. It is equipped with a 61 cm astrometrical and photometric reflector with a CCD camera and a 60 cm photometric reflector. The astronomical station on Lomnický štít (2632 m) has been active since 1960. It is equipped with a 20 cm coronograph and a spectrograph. In the headquarters of the astronomical institute at Tatranská Lomnica a 60 cm reflector and a solar horizontal spectrograph are located.

Directors of the institute
  • Antonín Bečvář (1943–1950)
  • V. Guth (1951–1956)
  • Záviš Bochníček (1956–1958)
  • Ľudmila Pajdušáková (1958–1979)
  • Július Sýkora (1979–1989)
  • Ján Štohl (1989–1993)
  • Juraj Zverko (1993–2001)
  • Ján Svoreň (2001–2009)
  • Aleš Kučera (2009–)

[3]

Highlights of the institute

The astronomical institute participated on discoveries of the following comets: [4]

Observatory on the Skalnaté Pleso (founded in 1943).
NameLabelDate of the discoveryBrightness at the discovery (mag)
Pajdušáková-Rotbar-WeberC/1946 K130. 05. 19467
BečvářC/1947 F227. 03. 19479
MrkosC/1947 Y120. 12. 19479,5
Pajdušáková-MrkosC/1948 E115. 02. 194810
P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdušáková45P03. 12. 19489
PajdušákováC/1951 C104. 02. 19518,5
P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresák41P24. 04. 195110,5
MrkosC/1952 H127. 04. 195210
MrkosC/1952 W128. 11. 195210
Mrkos-HondaC/1953 G112. 04. 19539
PajdušákováC/1953 X103. 12. 195311
VozárováC/1954 O128. 07. 19549
Kresák-PeltierC/1954 M226. 06. 195410
MrkosC/1955 L112. 06. 19553,5
P/Perrine-Mrkos18D19. 10. 19559
MrkosC/1956 E112. 03. 19569
MrkosC/1957 P129. 07. 19573
MrkosC/1959 X103. 12. 19598

Five astronomers participated in the discoveries: Antonín Mrkos, Ľudmila Pajdušáková, Ľubor Kresák, Antonín Bečvář and Margita Kresáková. From 70 comets discovered worldwide between 1946–1959, 18 were discovered from the observatories at Skalnaté Pleso and Lomnický štít.

See also

References
  1. "Prečo sme, prečo sme tu a kto sme?". 12 September 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
  2. "Všeobecne o astronomickom ústave". 8 September 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  3. "Directors of the Astronomical Institute". 8 September 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  4. "Objavy a fyzika komét". 9 September 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2009.

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