WWW Irktusk: The Baikal Solar Vacuum Telescope

The Baikal Solar Vacuum Telescope

Tip! The Baikal Solar Vacuum Telescope is a recommended place to visit. To arrange an excursion write to the director of Baikal Observatory Alexander Borovik (aborovik@iszf.irk.ru) or call him at 338863. Get there by bus (40 minutes) or hydrofoil to Listvyanka (1 hour). You can also stay overnight at the observatory: guest bungalow, cantina and sauna available.

The main instrument at the Baikal observatory is the Large Solar Vacuum Telescope (LSVT), intended for studies of the detailed structure of the sun's atmosphere. It was constructed in 1980 and ensures high spatial, spectral and temporal resolution.

LSVT is surrounded by a cluster of small instruments - three chromospheric telescopes for measuring solar activity. Chromospheric telescopes that receive the solar image in the narrow spectral band of the Ha hydrogen line, provide daily information on solar flares and prominences. A chromosperic telescope in the spectral band centred on the CaII ionized calcium line gives an image of solar chromosphere in this line. Chromospheric structure in the CaII line reflects the structure of strong and moderate magnetic fields on the surface of the Sun.

Large (129K) photo of sun splash.
Map of Listvyanka. The observatory is marked by a black slash near the right edge of the map.

For more info see Webpage