The observatory is located on the Assy-Turgen plateau, 2750 meters above sea level, 85 km East from Almaty. Observations began to be performed since 1981. In 2017 the largest telescope in Kazakhstan – AZT-20 began regular observations.
Basic technical characteristics of AZT-20:
– Main (parabolic) mirror diameter: D = 1560 mm
– Quartz 4-lens focus corrector (reducer): D = 280 mm
– Modified focal length of the telescope: F = 5720 mm
– Allowed diapason of wavelength: λ = 300 – 2500 nm.
– Maximal possible field of view: FOW = 60 х 60 arc minutes
AZT-20 is provided with a slit spectrograph with volume-phase holographic gratings (360, 1800 and 2400 lines/mm) and EMCCD-camera Andor. For photometrical tasks, provided by Sloan filters (g’r’i’z’) and back-illuminated CMOS-camera Kepler KL400 (field of view – 15 х 15 arc minutes).
Assy Turgen is the only observatory in Kazakhstan with ideal astroclimate: high transparency of the atmosphere, no light pollution and very small (average) turbulence.
1-m telescope Carl Zeiss is under reconstruction.
(Video courtesy by EPICAM)