MASTER-II Observatory

This MASTER-II Observatory stands in the Caucasus near Kislovodsk, Russia, scanning the sky automatically for the brief flashes of light produced by gamma-ray bursts.

About MASTER-II Observatory

Located in the Caucasus region near Kislovodsk, this MASTER-II Observatory is a station of the Global MASTER-Net, a network of robotic telescopes operated by Lomonosov Moscow State University.

History

The station was installed and tested jointly with the Sternberg Astronomical Institute and Pulkovo Observatory, two of Russia's leading astronomical institutions, before joining the wider MASTER-Net array.

Telescopes & research

The observatory searches for the prompt optical emission of gamma-ray bursts and carries out wide-field sky surveys to catch other fast-changing, or transient, astronomical phenomena as they happen.

Location & getting there

The site sits in the Caucasus mountains near Kislovodsk in southern Russia, a region whose altitude and distance from major cities help provide the dark, stable skies that automated transient-hunting telescopes need.

Visiting MASTER-II Observatory

As a fully robotic research station, this MASTER-II site is not set up for public visits; anyone interested in the MASTER-Net programme should contact Lomonosov Moscow State University directly.

See your named star from here

Even a robotic observatory built to hunt gamma-ray bursts is watching the same sky that holds a star named through Star Register. Check your star's exact position any time in the star catalogue.