North Caucasus Astronomical Station (SCAS)

SKAS (the North Caucasus Astronomical Station) is an observatory of Kazan Federal University (KFU) in the Zelenchuksky District of Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia. The station observes comets, asteroids and other Solar System objects, and also carries out astrometry and astrophotography.

History

The observatory was founded in 1975 as the “Karachay-Cherkess Expedition of KSU”. In 2004 it gained the status of an astronomical station of Kazan University, with the unofficial name “North Caucasus Astronomical Station of KSU”, later shortened to SKAS KFU.

The station's history is tied to the relocation and refitting of instruments from other expeditions, including the Ordubad and Nakhichevan expeditions. This made it possible to build a distinctive set of instruments and accumulate a valuable body of observational data.

Telescopes and Equipment

Observations at the station use:

• a 40 cm Zeiss astrograph, for precise astrometry and photographing the night sky
• a 38 cm wide-field Schmidt camera, for wide-angle surveys and observations of small Solar System bodies

Research and Teaching

SKAS KFU combines scientific research with teaching: students of Kazan University's astronomy department do their practical training at the station. The observatory remains one of the few active astronomical institutions in the North Caucasus.