• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.195-198
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• 2012

The dual channel Pierce-Blitzstein photometer (PBPHOT) was productively used at the Flower and Cook Observatory to provide 60 years of study of binary systems and other cosmic objects. We review the history of this instrument, discuss its calibration, and recall some personal and professional interactions with Professor Robert H. Koch.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.43-47
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• 2001

We developed a CCD camera that can observe wide fields on the sky. We tested the field of views using various lenses. For cooling the CCD chip, we used a thermoelectric cooling device and tested the cooling efficiency. This camera will continuously observe a part of the sky. The data from the camera will be used to decide the current weather condition by the real-time star counting program (SCount) which will be developed later.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2001

We developed an observation program for a 2K CCD camera, which was newly attached at the SOAO (Sobaeksan Optical Astronomy Observatory) 61cm telescope. The program was designed to control the telescope as well as the CCD camera and to monitor the CCD image quality, with very easy under the window-based graphical user interface (GUI). Furthermore, applying the automated differential photometric algorithm, we can obtain the instrumental magnitudes of several variable and comparison stars in real-time. Simultaneous photometry enables us to get precise differential magnitudes of variable stars even if the weather condition is not photometric. This new observation system has been using for many astronomical observations from September, 2001.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.27-36
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• 2018

In a solar coronagraph, the most important component is an occulter to block the direct light from the disk of the sun. Because the intensity of the solar outer corona is $10^{-6}$ to $10^{-10}$ times of that of the solar disk ($I_{\odot}$), it is necessary to minimize scattering at the optical elements and diffraction at the occulter. Using a Fourier optic simulation and a stray light test, we investigated the performance of a compact coronagraph that uses an external truncated-cone occulter without an internal occulter and Lyot stop. In the simulation, the diffracted light was minimized to the order of $7.6{\times}10^{-10}I_{\odot}$ when the cone angle ${\theta}_c$ was about $0.39^{\circ}$. The performance of the cone occulter was then tested by experiment. The level of the diffracted light reached the order of $6{\times}10^{-9}I_{\odot}$ at ${\theta}_c=0.40^{\circ}$. This is sufficient to observe the outer corona without additional optical elements such as a Lyot stop or inner occulter. We also found the manufacturing tolerance of the cone angle to be $0.05^{\circ}$, the lateral alignment tolerance was $45{\mu}m$, and the angular alignment tolerance was $0.043^{\circ}$. Our results suggest that the physical size of coronagraphs can be shortened significantly by using a cone occulter.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.89-102
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• 2021

Even in an era where 8-meter class telescopes are common, small telescopes are considered very valuable research facilities since they are available for rapid follow-up or long term monitoring observations. To maximize the usefulness of small telescopes in Korea, we established the SomangNet, a network of 0.4-1.0 m class optical telescopes operated by Korean institutions, in 2020. Here, we give an overview of the project, describing the current participating telescopes, its scientific scope and operation mode, and the prospects for future activities. SomangNet currently includes 10 telescopes that are located in Australia, USA, and Chile as well as in Korea. The operation of many of these telescopes currently relies on operators, and we plan to upgrade them for remote or robotic operation. The latest SomangNet science projects include monitoring and follow-up observational studies of galaxies, supernovae, active galactic nuclei, symbiotic stars, solar system objects, neutrino/gravitational-wave sources, and exoplanets.