The FoReRo2 instrument mounted on the 2-meter telescope at NAO Rozhen

Light from distant astronomical objects often travels billions of years before reaching Earth. It carries information about its source encoded in its intensity, color, and polarization. In recent years, interest in polarimetric and spectropolarimetric observations has grown significantly, leading to the development of new specialized instruments.

FoReRo2 is an instrument mounted years ago on the 2-meter telescope at the Rozhen National Astronomical Observatory which allows precise measurements of polarized light from stars, comets, small bodies in the Solar System, and other interesting astronomical objects. It is currently the only one in Southeast Europe that offers conditions for spectropolarimetric observations on a 2-meter class telescope. The instrument provides excellent opportunities for both scientific research and training of students and doctoral students, similar to those held in Rozhen in 2014 and 2019 during international schools, with dozens of doctoral students from different countries participating.

After more than ten years of observation and work with FoReRo2, an instrumental article describing its polarimetric and spectropolarimetric capabilities has been accepted for publication in the prestigious Astronomy & Astrophysics journal. Its authors are scientists from the Institute of Astronomy with NAO-BAS: Assoc. Prof. Yanko Nikolov, Assoc. Prof. Galin Borisov, Plamen Nikolov, Dr. Rumen Bogdanovski, Prof. Tanyu Bonev, as well as Dr. Stefano Bagnulo, part of the team at the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland and one of the established scientists in the field of polarimetric research.

Although the publication focuses on the instrument, observations with FoReRo2 have already led to a number of significant scientific results. These include studies of the 3I/ATLAS interstellar comet, the X-ray binary star 4U 2206+54, and the RS Oph re-recurrent nova star.

Link to the article:

https://www.aanda.org/component/article?access=doi&doi=10.1051/0004-6361/202558243

 

The 2-meter telescope during observations. The Milky Way is visible through the slit in the telescope tower.