The Brightness of the Sky of the Caucasian Mountain Observatory of MSU in the Near Infrared

The results of measurements of background brightness in the near-infrared range ( J , H , K bands), carried out in 2016–2023 at the Caucasus Mountain Observatory of Moscow State University was analyzed. It is shown that the instrumental background associated with the thermal radiation of the telesco...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Astronomy reports 2024, Vol.68 (1), p.67-79
Main Authors: Tatarnikov, A. M., Zheltoukhov, S. G., Nikishev, G. E., Tarasenkov, A. N., Sharonova, A. V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air temperature
Astronomy
Lunar surface
Moon
Mountains
Observations and Techniques
Observatories
Operating temperature
Physics
Physics and Astronomy
Polynomials
Radiation
Sky
Surface brightness
Temperature dependence
Thermal radiation
Water vapor
Water vapor content
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Summary:The results of measurements of background brightness in the near-infrared range ( J , H , K bands), carried out in 2016–2023 at the Caucasus Mountain Observatory of Moscow State University was analyzed. It is shown that the instrumental background associated with the thermal radiation of the telescope is noticeable only in the band, and at operating temperatures its contribution mainly determines the level of the overall background in this band. The coefficients of a polynomial taking into account the contribution of instrumental and extra-atmospheric backgrounds are presented. It is shown that the brightness of the sky background does not depend on air temperature, but a weak dependence on the water vapor content is observed, close to that expected from model calculations: in the and bands, the background brightness decreases at a rate of mm, and in the band it grows at a rate of mm. The maximum amplitude of background brightness variability on short time scales ( min) has been estimated: % in the and bands and % in the band. The maximum contribution of Moon’s radiation scattered in the atmosphere to the overall background level has been determined. It is shown that this contribution can be ignored at an angular distance from the Moon greater than even during a full moon. The average background surface brightness mag/arcsec 2 in the J , H , and bands was calculated: , , and .
ISSN:1063-7729
1562-6881
DOI:10.1134/S1063772924700082