International Conference "Physics of Magnetic Stars"

Special Astrophysical Observatory, Russia
1 – 5 October, 2018

Conference venue

Location. The Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences is located in the western part of North Caucasus, in Karachay-Cherkessian Republic of Russia. The Observatory campus is located in a settlement Nizhnii Arkhyz most of the times reffered as ‘Bukovo’by locals because of the beeches (“buk”in Russian) growing all over. The place is located in a valley of river Big Zelenchuk at a height of 1300м above the sea level and in 25 km from Cossack village Zelenchukskaya. The campus is comprised of an administrative building, a library, scientific laboratories, a computer center, a hotel and accommodation units.

The observational site of the Observatory is 17 km away from the campus and is located on near mountain Pastuhova at a height of 2100 m. The site consists of the largest in Europe telescope with 6-m mirror (the Big Telescope Azimuthal — BTA) and several smaller telescopes. In 25 km from Nizhnii Arkhyz, radio telescope RATAN-600 is located. RATAN-600 is a 600-m in diameter array with a variable structure of the reflecting surface. It is the largest tool in the world within this class of radio telescopes. Located between RATAN-600 and Bukovo a parabolic, 32 m in diameter, radio telescope belongs to St.-Petersburg Institute of Applied Astronomy.


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Transport. It is possible to reach Nizhnii Arkhyz only by motor transport. The asphalted roads connects it to Krasnodar (320 km), Nevinnomyssk (130 km), Stavropol (210 km), Cherkessk (100 km) and Mineralye Vody (200 km). There are railway stations in these cities. The nearest airport is in Mineralnye Vody. SAO RAS organizes motor transport for delivery and departure of conference participants.

Settlement. The settlement of astronomers is located in a picturesque place, in a beech woods. An ancient town is in 3 km from settlement with the temples of X century, which are the most ancient Christian monuments in Russia. Nizhnii Arkhyz is neighbourhood with well-known tourist and mountaineering places Arkhyz, Dombay, and Teberda.

Some useful web addresses.