Speaker
Description
Studies of small bodies of the Solar System
Astronomers at the Baldone Observatory conduct extensive studies of small bodies in the Solar System using the Schmidt telescope. One major research direction involves measuring the positions and brightness of these objects in the U, B, V, R, and I photometric filters. Using this telescope, 149 new asteroids have been discovered, including a rare Centaur-type asteroid. At the suggestion of the observatory, 15 of these asteroids have been given names related to Latvia, helping to popularize the country’s name worldwide.
The observatory also investigates the physical properties of asteroids, including their rotation and composition. This research is particularly important for the future extraction of space resources, which is considered essential for continued technological development on Earth. In addition, the development and testing of a new, hopefull asteroid observation methodology known as synthetic tracking has begun. This technique will enable telescopes of various types to detect objects up to six times fainter (approximately two magnitudes) and to observe very fast-moving bodies, which is crucial for planetary defense against potential asteroid impacts.
Research on novae and relativistic objects
Over the past 40 years, systematic searches and photometric studies of novae in the Andromeda Galaxy have been carried out. As a result, 70 novae have been discovered, and it has been established that they are sources of supersoft X-ray emission during their post-explosion phase. Current research focuses on studying brightness variations in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and blazars. These studies are essential for developing models of relativistic objects and contribute to addressing fundamental problems related to dark matter and black holes.
Research on carbon stars
Significant work has also been devoted to the study of carbon stars in our Galaxy. Approximately 400 carbon stars have been discovered and analyzed, five monographs have been published, and a comprehensive catalogue of Galactic carbon stars has been compiled and cited 132 times. This research is crucial for understanding the formation and evolution of carbon stars. Moreover, carbon stars are the primary contributors of carbon, the fundamental element of life, to the interstellar medium. Work is currently underway to prepare and publish an updated and improved version of the carbon star catalogue.
Baldone Schmidt Telescope Photographic Archive
Another major initiative is the creation of a Latvian Virtual Observatory based on the Baldone Schmidt Telescope Photographic Archive. The archive of direct photographic images has been fully digitized and includes 22,623 astronomical images containing data on approximately 40 million objects. At present, digital image processing is being performed to determine the equatorial coordinates and brightness of the recorded objects. These archival data will make a substantial contribution to studies of stellar position dynamics and brightness variability, as photographic observations at the Baldone Observatory were regularly conducted in specific regions of the sky over a 38-year period.
The research infrastructure and resources of the Baldone Observatory have enabled the successful acquisition and implementation of projects funded by FP7, the Framework Programme, Horizon 2020, Interreg, Erasmus+, and the Latvian Science Council.