“A R A S N E W S”

A r A S N e w s

N E W S L E T T E R OF THE

ARMENIAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY ( A r A S )

No.1 (March 1, 2002)

Editor: T.Yu.Magakian, tigmag@sci.am

The ArAS Newsletter in the INTERNET: http://www.aras.am

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CONTENTS:

1) Message from the President;

2) Announcement about ArAS (A.M.Mickaelian, Y.Terzian);

3) THE ARMENIAN ASTRONOMY, article from the EAS Newsletter;

4) Information on the First All-Armenian Annual Astronomical Meeting;

5) Announcement on the Biographical Dictionary ARMENIAN ASTRONOMERS;

6) ARAS Membership: Application Form and Membership Fees;

7) Contact Information for ArAS.

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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Colleagues,

I have a great pleasure to congratulate all of you with the appearance of the first issue of the ArAS Electronic Newsletter "ArASNews". Our Society is making its first steps, and I believe we all wish a successful and real foundation as soon as possible. We have registered the society officially last August, have become an EAS Affiliated Society, distributed our first welcome announcement to Armenian astronomers, opened our web page recently (please check it at http://www.aras.am and send your comments and suggestions to our web master), we are on the way to organize our first meeting next June, organize and coordinate some activities in frame of the astronomical education in Armenia, and prepare for publication a biographical dictionary of all past and present Armenian astronomers.

We have already members among Armenian astronomers living and working outside Armenia, and a great interest to join ArAS from many scientists, including the young ones. This is rather encouraging. ArAS can become a strong organization with the help of its members only. We wish it becomes a really all-Armenian organization. We would be happy to receive your opinions, suggestions and recommendations on any topic concerning ArAS, its activities and future. It would be a pleasure to publish your materials in our Newsletter as well. Let it be a manner for contacts, discussions, and exchange of information for all of us.

Let us wish a lot of enthusiasm and success to Dr. Tigran Magakian, the Editor of the Newsletter, to make it maximum interesting and useful for the Armenian astronomers all over the world.

Yours,

Areg MICKAELIAN,

President,

Armenian Astronomical Society.

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Announcement about ArAS

Dear Colleagues,

We have a great pleasure to announce the creation of the Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS) - a society which may find all Armenian astronomers all over the world and establish tight contacts between them. Its main goals are the promotion of astronomy, the promotion of collaboration and contacts between the Armenian astronomical institutions and all Armenian astronomers, the development of astronomical education and knowledge in Armenia.

We have the pleasure to inform you that we plan to publish (and have started to prepare) a biographical dictionary of all Armenian astronomers, and would like to ask you to send your data to help this initiative. Also, our First Annual Meeting will take place in June 2002 in Armenia (see below). We have applied also to EAS to organize one of its future general meetings (JENAM) in Yerevan (in 2003 or 2004).

At present we have 43 members in the Society, we project that the membership will increase to some 100 members during this year.

For now our activities will concentrate in the following directions:

1) Invite new members to join the Society so that it becomes a really an All-Armenian organization. Of course, astronomers of any nationality may enter ArAS, and we will encourage our friends to join us.

2) Establish several ArAS branches (beside the Armenian branch itself), particularly in North America, Europe, and the FSU (former Soviet Union), where we know most of the Armenian astronomers live and work.

3) Develop the ArAS Web Page with all information. It will probably have mirror sites in the USA and Europe. We plan to make personal pages for all ArAS members or give links to their pages from the ArAS site.

4) Publish a paper Newsletter (1 issue per year) and an Electronic Newsletter (1 issue per 3 months) and send it to all members, starting with this issue. They will give information on the ArAS affairs, Armenian astronomy, different Armenian scientists, Armenia itself, as well as publish some scientific abstracts and short papers.

5) Publish a book on "Armenian Astronomers", a biographical dictionary of all Armenian astronomers over the world. This will be the first such attempt, and we hope to collect information as much as possible on all members. This process has been started already. We enclose a form to collect data, including a 0.5-1 page text describing each person's achievements. Each individual will receive the text about themselves before publication.

6) Hold our first Annual Meeting in Armenia in June 2002 with participation of as many Armenian astronomers as possible. The scientific program will be open to all subjects. A separate announcement is enclosed too.

7) Join other Armenian and International organizations.

8) Establish ArAS Annual Prizes: one for work in theoretical astrophysics (Ambartsumian Prize), and one for work in observational astrophysics (Markarian Prize), as well as a special prize for young astronomers.

9) Coordinate the astronomical education in Armenia: organize summer schools and olympiads for pupils and students, TV programs, publish a popular magazine, etc.

We would be happy to receive your opinions, suggestions and recommendations on any topic concerning ArAS.

It is a pleasure to invite all of you to become ArAS members (Application Form is attached).

Yours sincerely,

Areg MICKAELIAN, Yervant TERZIAN,

Byurakan Obs., and Professor,

President, Cornell University.

Armenian Astronomical Society.

E-mail: aregmick@bao.sci.am E-mail: yt28@cornell.edu

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THE ARMENIAN ASTRONOMY

(Reprinted from the EAS Newsletter).

Armenia is one of the most ancient countries with developed astronomical knowledge. We have signs and monuments for astronomical activities coming from ancient and middle ages. The modern astronomy in Armenia begins with the foundation of the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) in 1946 by the outstanding scientist of the XX century Victor Ambartsumian (1908-1996).

First studies at BAO related with the instability phenomena taking place in the Universe, and this trend became the main characteristic of the science activity in Byurakan. Discovery of stellar associations (1947), hypothesis about activity of galactic nuclei by V.A.Ambartsumian (1958), discovery and study of many Seyfert galaxies and QSOs, discovery of more than 1000 flare stars, dozens of Supernovae, hundreds of Herbig-Haro objects and cometary nebulae, valuable works in the field of radiative transfer theory, are the main scientific achievements of the Byurakan astronomers. The First and Second Byurakan surveys (FBS, 1965-1980, and SBS, 1978-1991) conducted due to tireless efforts of another famous Armenian astronomer, Beniamin Markarian (1913-1985) brought to the well-known Markarian galaxies and SBS objects, studied by many extragalactic astronomers.

Surveys and search for new objects are the traditional field for the Armenian astronomers: Markarian, Arakelian and Kazarian galaxies, Shahbazian groups are known to all astronomers. This tradition is being continued: searches for blue stellar objects and late-type stars; Herbig-Haro objects, H-alpha stars and stellar jets; optical identifications of IR, radio and X-ray sources, are among the main subjects of BAO's present activities. Other fields of investigations are: observational cosmology, theory of compact cosmic objects, and astrophysical applications of mathematical physics.

Main achievements of the Armenian astronomy are connected with V.A.Ambartsumian, our greatest scientist. He was the IAU Vice-President in 1948-55 and President in 1961-64, twice elected the ICSU President (1968-72), was honorary member of 28 academies and societies. Ambartsumian was the President of the Armenian Academy of Sciences during 1947-1993 and the Director of BAO during 1946-1988. Those times the Byurakan Observatory was one of the main astronomical centres in the world.

After the disintegration of the Soviet Union and beginning of the economic crisis, the Armenian astronomers among all other scientists appeared in an extremely hard situation. Many of them left Armenia for a long period, others went away from the science at all. However, most of them still work in astronomy. At present, BAO has some 70 researchers, including 11 Doctors of Science and 38 Candidates of Science (Ph.D.). There are 3 scientific divisions and 21 small research groups at BAO.

The main scientific instruments at BAO are: 2.6m telescope (equipped with ByuFOSC and SCORPIO focal reducers, and VAGR multi-pupil spectrograph), 1m and 0.5m Schmidt telescopes, a few other telescopes of 40-60 cm size, and the PDS microdensitometer. BAO has a big archive of photographic plates, including the Byurakan Surveys, 2650 plates, containing information on some 20,000,000 low-dispersion spectra of objects of the whole Northern sky and a part of the Southern sky at high galactic latitudes (b>15 deg), over an area of 17,000 sq. deg.

The Byurakan astronomers collaborate with scientists of France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain, Russia, USA, Mexico, Japan, China, India, and other countries. Though the funding of science in Armenia is at very low level (the mean salary is equivalent to USD 20), however the Byurakan astronomers work actively due to the international collaboration and grants, and a number of valuable contributions in science. A significant progress started with the establishment of the French-Armenian collaboration in 1994: the 2.6m telescope was put to re-operation with modern equipment, Armenian astronomers visit the French astronomical centres for short-period research work, BAO's library receives again journals and books.

BAO is known for a number of important meetings held in Byurakan: IAU Symposia No. 29 held in 1966 (The Non-Stable Phenomena in Galaxies), No. 121: Observational Evidences of Activity in Galaxies (1986), No. 137: Flare Stars in Star Clusters, Associations and Solar Vicinity (1989), and No. 194: Activity in Galaxies and Related Phenomena (1998); IAU Colloquium No. 184: AGN Surveys (2001); the First International Symposium on Communications with Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CETI) in 1971; ESO-Byurakan School in 1987, and many others.

BAO is the main astronomical centre in Armenia and one of the most important observatories of the Former Soviet Union, however, it is not the only. At present there are 4 other institutions where astronomy is active:

· Yerevan State University (YSU): Departments of Astrophysics (extragalactic astronomy), Theoretical Physics (theory of neutron stars and other superdense cosmic objects) and General Physics (theory of neutron stars, galaxy dynamics);

· Garni Space Astronomy Institute (space astronomy);

· Yerevan Physics Institute (YerPhI): Theoretical Physics Division (cosmology and gravitation) and Cosmic Ray Division (high-energy astrophysics);

· Institute of Radioastrophysical Measurements (radioastronomy).

28 Armenian astronomers are IAU members and 25 are EAS members; some are members of other international societies and organizations.

Since 1965, the journal Astrofizika is being published regularly in Russian and its English translation (Astrophysics).

In June 1999, the Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS) was founded. The main goals of the Society, according to its Bye-Laws are: promotion of astronomy, promotion of collaboration between all astronomical institutions in Armenia, contacts and collaboration between the Armenian and other astronomers all over the world, development of the astronomical education and knowledge in Armenia.

Some 80 Armenian astronomers work in other countries outside Armenia; many of them are well-known and have tight contacts with BAO and other Armenian institutions and astronomers: Yervant Terzian (Cornell Univ., USA), Vahe Petrosian (Stanford Univ., USA), Agop Terzan (Lyon Obs., France), Zadig Mouradian and Georges Alecian (Paris-Meudon Obs., France), Ralph (Ara) Krikorian (IAP, France), Tateos Aguekian (St.Petersburg Univ., Russia), Fabio Mardirossian (SISSA, Italy), many others.

ArAS was officially registered as an NGO in August 2001. At present ArAS has 43 members, including 16 founding members. During the General Meeting (JENAM) of the European Astronomical Society (EAS) last September in Munich (Germany), ArAS joined EAS as an Affiliated Society.

The main activities of ArAS for the nearest future are: enlargement of its membership; establishment of branches in America, Europe, and the FSU; establishment of the Web Page (will be available soon); publication of the ArAS Newsletter (once or twice a year); publication of a biographical dictionary "Armenian Astronomers"; and organization of the ArAS first Annual Meeting in 2002.

ArAS also welcomes all European and other astronomers to have a JENAM meeting in Armenia in one of the nearest years. The astronomical traditions, historical monuments of the ancient Armenia and the Armenian hospitality promise to make the meeting really great!

Areg M. Mickaelian,

President of the Armenian Astronomical Society.

A N N O U N C E M E N T

on the First All-Armenian Annual Astronomical Meeting

"ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE ARMENIAN ASTRONOMY"

17-18 June 2002, Byurakan, Armenia

Organizers: Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS)

Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO)

Topics:

· Solar physics,

· non-stable stars,

· physics of stars and nebulae,

· star-formation phenomena in the Galaxy,

· active galaxies,

· systems of galaxies,

· problems of theoretical astrophysics.

Scientific Organizing Committee:

G.Alecian IAP, France

G.A.Gurzadian Garni Space Astronomy Institute

V.G.Gurzadian Yerevan Physics Institute

H.A.Harutyunian BAO

A.T.Kalloghlian BAO

M.A.Kazarian Yerevan State University

T.Yu.Magakian BAO

V.H.Malumian BAO

A.M.Mickaelian BAO (Chair)

A.G.Nikoghossian BAO

V.Petrosian Stanford University, USA

D.M.Sedrakian Yerevan State University

Ye.Terzian Cornell University, USA

Local Organizing Committee:

A.L.Gyulbudaghian (Chairman), E.H.Nikoghossian (Secretary),

R.R.Andreassian, S.K.Balayan, K.S.Gigoyan, E.R.Hovhannissian, V.Kh.Khachatrian, A.P.Mahtessian, V.H.Movsissian, G.A.Ohanian, H.A.Poghossian, L.A.Sargsian, A.A.Yeghiazarian.

Contact Addresses:

Elena Nikoghossian,

Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory,

Byurakan 378433, Aragatzotn province, Armenia

Tel/Fax: (374-1) 260058, 532751

E-mail: aras@web.am, elena@bao.sci.am

Web page: http://www.aras.am/AAM-1, http://bao.sci.am/AAM-1

ARMENIAN ASTRONOMERS

(A Biographical Dictionary)

A Biographical Dictionary Armenian Astronomers is being prepared for publication in 2003. It will include short biographical materials on all astronomers worked and working in the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, other astronomical institutions in Armenia, and astronomers of Armenian origin worked and working all over the world. The book will be both in English and Armenian and will consist of about 250 pages, including photos. The Editor is A.M.Mickaelian. We ask all Armenian astronomers to provide us with their data and scientific results which will be edited in according to our requirements. However, each biographee will be able to see and check his entry before publication. Each entry will consist of a homogeneous part with data taken from the form below, including a text presenting scientific results and achievements, as well as references. The Armenian version of the form is available in the Byurakan Observatory or upon request from A.M.Mickaelian or E.H.Nikoghossian in MS Word format or a printed version. The filled form and the text presenting scientific results must be in English. If you have information of other Armenian astronomers (including late ones), please send it to us as well. Each copy of the Dictionary will cost an equivalent of USD 20, including delivery. For the ArAS members, there will be a reduced price of USD 5.

· Names (surname; first name; patronymic, second or other names)

· Birth data (day, month, year, place)

· Education: institute/university, department, chair, year of graduation

· Scientific positions: institution, department, position, years

· Administrative positions: institution, position, years

· Scientific degrees (Ph.D., Doctor of Science): subject, supervisor, year of defence

· Scientific titles (years)

· Scientific prizes, honours and awards (years)

· Membership: scientific societies, Academies, scientific councils (years)

· Fields of scientific interests

· Important scientific results and achievements (typically 0.5 page, but not more than 1 page)

· Scientific collaboration, missions, long-term stays (countries, collaborators, subjects, years)

· Participation in international meetings: total number, including IAU meetings;

number of contributions, including IAU meetings

· Scientific-technical activity (realization of projects, etc.)

· Editorial activity

· Pedagogical activity: lecturing (universities, years), Ph.D. students, etc.

· Organizational affairs: organization of meetings, etc.

· Number of publications: the total number, including

publications in scientific journals,

in proceedings of meetings,

books,

catalogs,

reviews,

information materials,