The database of the Nikolaev Astronomical Observatory as a unit of an international virtual observatory

Results of the development and organization of the digital database of the Nikolaev Astronomical Observatory (NAO) are presented. At present, three telescopes are connected to the local area network of NAO. All the data obtained, and results of data processing are entered into the common database of NAO. The daily average volume of new astronomical information obtained from the CCD instruments ranges from 300MB up to 2GB, depending on the purposes and conditions of observations. The overwhelming majority of the data are stored in the FITS format. Development and further improvement of storage standards, procedures of data handling and data processing are being carried out. It is planned to create an astronomical web portal with the possibility to have interactive access to databases and telescopes. In the future, this resource may become a part of an international virtual observatory. There are the prototypes of search tools with the use of PHP and MySQL. Efforts for getting more links to the Internet are being made

Reference stars compiled catalogue around extragalactic radio sources. Reduction techniques and the first results

Some differential reference stars catalogues around extragalactic radio sources obtained from photographic and CCD-observations at different observatories are considered. Compiled catalogue of star positions in fields of 30 ×30 is intended for reduction of ERS optical observations using the telescopes equipped with CCD-cameras. Photographic observations of the fields around 74 ERS were made at the Pulkovo Observatory, around 115 ERS – at the AO KNU, around 188 ERS – at the AIRA in Bucharest. The 208 fields around ERS at NAO using the telescope equipped with a CCD-camera were obtained. The first results of the creation of uniform compiled catalogue are given. Astrometric positions for stars brighter than 16 magnitude in more than 20 fields around ERS are presented. A comparison of our results with those of other authors is made

Results of joint project on linking optical-radio reference frames

Results of international co-operation between observatories from China, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine on refinement of linking optical and radio reference frames are discussed. About 300 fields around extragalactic radio sources in the selected fields of extragalactic radio sources from −40 to +70 degrees in declination were observed with CCD ground-based telescopes. The catalogue of optical positions of more than 200 ERS with average accuracy 30 mas in ICRF by using of secondary reference stars from the UCAC2 and USNO-B1.0 catalogues was obtained as a result of this cooperation. The intermediate internal estimation of link between optical and radio reference frames was shown the angle values near zero within an accuracy of about 6 mas by using of secondary reference stars from UCAC2. A comparison of presented results with those of other investigations was made

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PROPER MOTIONS OF STARS IN OPEN CLUSTERS BY USING VO TOOLS

Astrometric catalogues such as Tycho2, Mobitel1, CSOCA, XPM, PM2000, SDSS-DR9  were  used for cross identification of stars, visualization of proper motions and further data processing by using available Virtual Observatory (VO) Tools:  cross-match service (CDS,Strasbourg),  TopCat, Aladin. The coefficients of linear correlation for common stars as well as the standard deviations for differences of proper motions were determined for at least ten pairs of catalogues to compare the accidental errors and the systematic biases between the given data sets. Astrometric catalogues such as Tycho2, Mobitel1, CSOCA, XPM, PM2000, SDSS-DR9  were  used for cross identification of stars, visualization of proper motions and further data processing by using available Virtual Observatory (VO) Tools:  cross-match service (CDS,Strasbourg),  TopCat, Aladin. The coefficients of linear correlation for common stars as well as the standard deviations for differences of proper motions were determined for at least ten pairs of catalogues to compare the accidental errors and the systematic biases between the given data sets.

DEVELOPMENT OF MYKOLAIV VIRTUAL OBSERVATORY

Results obtained in 2010-2013 on the de­velopment of astronomical databases and web services are presented. Mykolaiv Virtual Observatory (MVO) is a part of the Ukrainian Virtual Observatory (UkrVO). At present, MVO consists of three major databases containing data on: astrometric catalogues, photographic plates, CCD ob­servations. The databases facilitate the process of data mi­ning and provide easy access to the textual and graphic in­formation on the results of observations and their reduction obtained during the whole history of Nikolaev Astronomical Observatory (NAO).

UKRVO – FEATURES AND COMPARISON OF THE NEW CATALOGUE OF PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY OF THE NORTHERN SKY

UkrVO plate archives contain information obtained at different observatories for a long time. With using data of photographic survey of the northern sky (FON project, from -4° to 90°) in Main Astronomical Observatory of NationalAcademyofScience(MAO) new catalogue of positions and magnitudes was obtained. The catalogue contains coordinates and magnitudes of more than 19 million stars and galaxies from 3m to 17.5m for the mean epoch of 1988.3. Comparison with the catalogues UCAC4, PPMX, XPM was carried out. The differences of common stars positions between catalogues are from 0.05"-0.06" for the 9- 11m stars to 0.30"-0.40" for the 5-7m and 15-16m stars. The differences of common stars B-magnitudes between catalogues are from 0.05m-0.10m for the 10-11m stars to 0.4m-0.5m for the 6-7m and 15-16m stars. The obtained results suggest the advisability of using the new catalogue for improving proper motions of stars within the range of 8m-14m magnitudes.

DETERMINATION OF PROPER MOTIONS OF CIRCUMPOLAR STARS BY USING IMAGES FROM UKRVO PLATE ARCHIVES

UkrVO plate archives contain information obtained at different time periods and in different observatories for the same regions of the sky [3, 5, 6, 7, 8]. It allows us to carry out joint processing of plates and to receive new results for interesting objects. To obtain proper motions of stars in circumpolar areas, we selected 34 photographic plates from the RI NAO archive and 161 plates from the archive of the MAO NAS. A mean epoch difference between the plates from these archives is 55 years. Scanning of the plates and data processing were independently carried out by both observatories. A catalog of equatorial positions for 195 thousand stars up to 15m was compiled in the RI NAO (black dots in Fig. 1). A catalog of equatorial positions for 1050 thousand stars up to 16.5m was compiled in MAO (gray dots in Fig. 1). A comparison of positions for common stars contained in these catalogs was conducted. A catalog of proper motions for 30 thousand common stars up to 15m was compiled using these two input catalogs. The obtained result suggests the advisability of processing of all observations to receive proper motions of stars up to 14-15m in the declination zone of 65° to 90°

DATA PROCESSING OF PLATES CONTAINING IMAGES OF URANUS AND NEPTUNE FROM UKRVO DIGITAL ARCHIVE: STRUCTURE, QUALITY ANALYSIS

To use accumulated resources of UkrVO digital archive, analysis of the available photographic plates containing images of Uranus and Neptune was conducted. Data processing of selected plates was also caried out to provide an estimate of positional precision and accuracy. Archives of the Research Institute: Nikolaev Astronomical Observatory (NAO), Main Astronomical Observatory of National Academy of Science (MAO), Astronomical Observatory of Odessa National University (AO ONU), Astronomical Observatory of Kyiv National University (AO KNU) were used. Numbers of plates containing images of Uranus and Neptune are, respectively, the following: 220 and 218 plates in NAO, 64 and 35 plates in MAO, 54 and 44 plates in AO ONU, 3 and 1 in AO KNU. Plates of NAO and MAO have 2 or 3 exposures per plate, and other plates have only one exposure per plate. The epoch of observation for most plates is 1960 to 1998, and for only one plate is 1908. All plates were scanned with the resolution not less than 1200 dpi. Each plate of NAO was scanned 5 to 6 times. Plates containing images of Uranus and Neptune were, respectively, scanned 618 and 952 times in NAO. All plates of other observatories were scanned only once. Raw image processing for scans containing images of Uranus and Neptune was conducted for all scans obtained in observatories. (X, Y) coordinates, (I) intensities and FWHM values were obtained for images of all objects. Star identification for scans containing images of Uranus and Neptune was, respectively, conducted for 600 and 936 scans in NAO and for 71 scans in MAO. Coordinates of all objects were obtained. Positional accuracy of reference stars was estimated for 244 plates of NAO and 66 plates of MAO, and has value of 0.08″-0.26″

RESULTS OF PROCESSING OF ASTRONEGATIVES WITH COMMERCIAL SCANNER

Astrometric errors depending on the method of scanning with different spatial resolutions were studied  with commercial scanner such as   Epson Perfection V750 Pro. Accuracy, time of processing, volume of storage were tested using software package described in (Protsyuk, 2014). The best results of scanning were obtained with a resolution of 1200 – 1600 dpi. Astrometric errors depending on the method of scanning with different spatial resolutions were studied  with commercial scanner such as   Epson Perfection V750 Pro. Accuracy, time of processing, volume of storage were tested using software package described in (Protsyuk, 2014). The best results of scanning were obtained with a resolution of 1200 – 1600 dp