Astrometric observations of visual binaries using 26-inch refractor during 2007–2014 at Pulkovo

Abstract

We present the results of 15184 astrometric observations of 322 visual binaries carried out in 2007–2014 at Pulkovo observatory. In 2007, the 26-inch refractor (F = 10413 mm, D = 65 cm) was equipped with the CCD camera FLI ProLine 09000 (FOV 12′ × 12′, 3056 × 3056 pixels, 0.238 arcsec pixel−1). Telescope automation and weather monitoring system installation allowed us to increase the number of observations significantly. Visual binary and multiple systems with an angular distance in the interval 1.ʺ1–78.ʺ6 with 7.ʺ3 on average were included in the observing program. The results were studied in detail for systematic errors using calibration star pairs. There was no detected dependence of errors on temperature, pressure, and hour angle. The dependence of the 26-inch refractor’s scale on temperature was taken into account in calculations. The accuracy of measurement of a single CCD image is in the range of 0.ʺ0005 to 0.ʺ289, 0.ʺ021 on average along both coordinates. Mean errors in annual average values of angular distance and position angle are equal to 0.ʺ005 and 0.°04 respectively. The results are available here http://izmccd.puldb.ru/vds.htmand in the Strasbourg Astronomical Data Center (CDS). In the catalog, the separations and position angles per night of observation and annual average as well as errors for all the values and standard deviations of a single observation are presented. We present the results of comparison of 50 pairs of stars with known orbital solutions with ephemerides.