STRUCTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY
History of the Department of Astronomy. The Faculty of Physics of the Tajik National University began training specialists in the field of astronomy in the 70s of the last century. At first, specialists in this field were trained on the basis of the Department of Theoretical Physics, and from the beginning of the 80s they were independently trained on the basis of the newly formed Department of Astrophysics. During this period, a certain number of students graduated from the department, some of them reached the level of candidate and doctor of science, working and serving in various fields, in particular in research institutions in the country and abroad. Unfortunately, in the second half of the 80s, the department collapsed, and the training of specialists in this field in Tajikistan was stopped.
In the summer of 1998, the Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon visited the Sanglokh International Astronomical Observatory. At that time, the observatory was unusable. The temporary leadership of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan and the Institute of Astrophysics explained the reason for the lack of specialists. It was noted that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a large number of specialists left for other countries. Emomali Rahmon said that in the conditions of independence of Tajikistan, it is necessary to open the department of astronomy in one of the higher educational institutions in order to provide the astronomical observatories of Tajikistan with specialists and expand space research in the country.
By Decree of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan dated June 4, 1999 No. 13/4-16,1-2, the Department of Astronomy was established at the Faculty of Physics of the Tajik State National University, with a specialty of the same name, both full-time and part-time.
The Department of Astronomy is the only department in the Republic of Tajikistan that trains young specialists in the field of astronomy. The main task of the department is to train specialists for research institutes, universities, secondary schools and various sectors of the national economy of the republic.
In the first years, the teaching staff of the department included such scientists as academician P.B. Bobojanov, corresponding member Kh.I. Ibodinov, O. Naimov, D.A. Taghoeva, A.A. Rahmonov and Sh. Karimov, and then their ranks were replenished by students of the department A.Gh. Safarov, L.A. Odinaeva, J.K. Ismoilov, J.H. Haitov, Sh.B. Boboev, N.A. Lutfiloev, S.O. Mirzokhonova, J.G. Sharipov, F.Kh. Ashurov, M.V. Makhmadshoeva, M.Kh. Zuhurov, T.Z. Husenova, Sh. Rahimova, N. Sobirzoda. Since the creation of the department, employees of the Institute of Astrophysics of NAST P.B. Bobojanov, Kh.I. Ibodinov, M.I. Gulyamov, N.Kh. Minikulov, F.A. Tupieva, N.A. Konovalova, O. Alimov, M. Narziev in different years were attracted to the department to teach special courses, supervise dissertations, graduation, diploma, master’s and conduct astronomical observations at the Hissar Astronomical Observatory of the Institute of Astrophysics NAST.
EDUCATIONAL PROCESS AT THE DEPARTMENT
In the first years, the head of the department was Academician P.B. Bobojanov (1999-2001), professor Kh.I. Ibodinov (2001-2004, 2010-2012), associate professor A.A. Rahmonov (2004-2010, 2012-2017) and associate professor U.M. Shoimov (2017-2019). From 2019 to the present, the position of head of the department is held by Associate Professor A.Gh. Safarov.
At the moment, 10 students are studying in the full-time and part-time departments of astronomy at the expense of the state budget and 15 students on a contract basis. From 2009 to 2014, students majoring in Meteorology studied at the Department of Astronomy.
The curriculum and work plans were prepared and developed on the basis of the state educational program for the specialty of astronomy at Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, taking into account the capabilities of Tajikistan. Professor of the department Kh.I. Ibodinov associate professors A.A. Rakhmonov and A.G. Safarov made a special contribution to the development of state educational programs.
The Department of Astronomy teaches the following subjects for bachelor students in specialties 1-02050405 – astronomy, 1-31040103 – general physics, 1-33010300 – radioecology and all existing specialties of the faculties of mechanics and mathematics, geology and biology:
1.General astronomy;
2. Practical astronomy;
3. Celestial mechanics;
4. General astrophysics;
5. Practical astrophysics;
6. Geophysics and physics of planets;
7. Methods of teaching astronomy;
8. Special course “Comets and meteors”;
9. Special course “Physics of stars”;
10. Special course “Asteroids and satellites of planets”;
11. Special course “Galactic astronomy”;
12. Special course “Near-Earth astronomy”;
13. Special laboratory “Variable and non-stationary stars”
14. Special laboratory “Physics of Planets”;
15. Special laboratory “Special astronomical observations”
At the Department of Astronomy, students of the department’s specialty of the same name are enrolled in full-time and part-time courses. Since the beginning of the 2019 academic year, the department has been conducting master’s studies. To date, 14 masters have completed their master’s degree in astronomy (03.01.04-planetary studies). This department has work plans and standard standard programs for all current specialties. The department’s hours of work, including master’s degrees, over the past five years range from 5,200 to 5,800 hours. The department conducts classes in more than 20 academic disciplines (general professional disciplines, specialized disciplines, disciplines of the student’s choice and specialized laboratories) mainly for students of specialty 1-02050405 – astronomy, as well as specialties 1-31040103 – physics, with Russian and Tajik languages training, 1-33010300 – radioecology, 1-3102010209 – hydrometeorology and climatology. Also, teachers of the department teach the subject “Concept of modern natural science” for students of all specialties of the faculties of mechanics and mathematics, geology and biology.
Laboratories and educational observatory
During the period of independence of the country, an observatory and educational laboratories were created and equipped on the basis of the department. The department has laboratories of general astronomy (educational building No. 16, room 527), astrophysics (educational building No. 16, room 520), and an educational observatory of the astronomy department (educational building No. 16, sixth floor, consists of three rooms).
The educational laboratory “General Astronomy” is equipped for students of initial courses (1 and 2) and students of other specialties of the Faculty of Physics. The laboratory is equipped with an electronic board, a video projector, astronomical instruments such as globes, star charts, planetary models, a model of the solar system, theodolite, level, AT-1 telescope, sextant, lunar and planetary globes and a celestial globe.
The Astrophysics laboratory is intended for conducting laboratory classes in specialized disciplines and specialized laboratories. The laboratory is equipped with a video projector and various astrophysical instruments. Some instruments were purchased in 2010. Among other things, the laboratory has two telescopes (meniscus and expeditionary), spectrographs, microphotometers, a theodolite, barometer, color filters for observing the Sun and planets, a CCD camera installed on a telescope with a computer.
The educational observatory of the department is equipped with a modern azimuthal telescope MEADE LX200-ACF. The observatory consists of three rooms, one of which houses the telescope itself. Another classroom has an observation room where computers are installed to monitor and control the telescope. The observatory includes the MEADE LX200-ACF telescope, SBIG ST7 CCD camera and a modern digital spectrograph. The SBIG ST7 CCD camera is installed on the telescope and is controlled with a remote control (AUTOSAR II program), as well as independently with a computer. The resulting photographs are processed by modern astronomical programs. The results obtained are widely used in the educational process, in the study of specialized subjects, electives, and specialized laboratories. The MEADE LX200-ACF telescope has visual, photographic and spectral observation capabilities. These astronomical instruments are widely used in the educational process, especially in specialized courses, and during educational practices, up to 14 practical observational and laboratory works are performed.
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
The scientific work of the department is carried out in the direction of “Small bodies of the Solar System” on the problem of “Comets”. The scientific theme of the department for 2021-2025 is planned to be “Study of the influence of solar activity on the processes occurring in comets.” Since 2020, the educational observatory of the Department of Astronomy has been prepared for observing celestial bodies and is widely used. The main telescope of the observatory is MEADE LX200-ACF, with a focal length of 4064 mm and a mirror diameter of 406.4 mm. Through it you can visually observe space objects up to magnitude 15.5. The telescope has a special astronomical program AUTOSAR II, which includes more than 27 thousand celestial objects. The advantage of this telescope is that the observer can add the necessary objects to the telescope’s memory. SBIG ST8-XE and FLI PROLINE CCD cameras are used as light receivers. They make it possible to register dark objects in a short period of time and process them using special astronomical programs.
Main directions of research work
• Study of the decline and variation in brightness, the evolution of photometric parameters of selected short-period comets and the connection of active processes in their core with the influence of solar activity;
• Study of the conditions for the formation of synchronous syndynamy in the dust tails of comets;
• Study of the conditions for collision of nuclei of selected active comets with meteoroid swarms.
The participation of teachers of the department is effective at conferences and symposiums at various internal and external levels. The department, together with the Institute of Astrophysics, has held several international and national conferences, and constantly organizes scientific seminars with the participation of prominent foreign scientists. Including Vice-President of the 46th Commission of the International Astronomical Union, Professor of the University of New Zealand John Hernshaw, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Professor of the Kiev State University of Ukraine named after Shevchenko, Director of the Lesniki Observatory Klim Ivanovich Churyumov, Professor of Bauman State University of the Russian Federation Yuri Obrubov, Head of the Department of Celestial Mechanics of the St. Petersburg State University of the Russian Federation, Konstantin Kholshevnikov, Head of the Department of Small Bodies of the Solar System Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Professor Nikolay Kisilev, Professor of the Samara Polytechnic University of the Russian Federation Anatoly Zausaev, Director of the Paris Astronomical Observatory Guillaume Dube, Head of the Department of Planets and small bodies of the Solar System, the Shamokhai Astrophysical Observatory named after Nasriddin Tusi of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, and Professor of the Baku State University Atai Adolat Abulfat-ogly made scientific reports.