Modra Observatory - Education and Research

Education and Research

As a part of the Comenius University, the observatory provides research opportunity for students, and the staff offers guidance for the Master and PhD theses. The research is mainly aimed at the interplanetary matter. More than 160 asteroids were discovered from the observatory including two Near Earth Objects 2005 GB34 and 2008 UW5. The observation time is mostly assigned for the photometry of asteroids and comets and astrometry. The first observation of a transiting extrasolar planet in Slovakia was performed at the observatory. The solar physics researchers perform solar prominence and chromosphere features observations in the H-alpha line.

The observatory is also a member of the European bolide network and itself develops its own TV meteor grid. Besides photographic all-sky cameras, fish-eye all-sky semi-automated meteor detection devices are located at Modra observatory and near Tesárske Mlyňany. In addition to meteor detection, real time all-sky camera is able to detect also other phenomena, such as atmospheric sprites and elves (TLE).

• Main operation and administrative building of Modra observatory

• Winter time at the Modra observatory

• Lower building of the Modra observatory complex

• Leonid meteor shower detected at Modra observatory, bolides on single photographic plate

• Sprites detected above horizon at Modra observatory

• Active solar area as seen from Modra observatory

• Comet 17P/Holmes from Modra observatory

• Comet C/2004 Q2 Machholz from Modra observatory

• Aurora borealis from Modra observatory

• Climate record at the observatory site