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We took a total of 635 B-, V-, and Ic-band CCD frames for the RRab Lyr type variable DVMon, which has a close bright visual companion with a separation of about 1.9′. Observations were made with the 76-cm telescope of the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO, South Africa) using SBIG CCD ST-10XME. For the first time, we obtained reliable separate PSF-photometry of both stars and determined their coordinates. We used all available data to construct the O — C diagram spanning a 110-year long time interval, which allowed us to reveal at least three sudden changes of the pulsation period around JD 2438000, 2453500, and 2456500. Our high resolution echelle spectra with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) showed that DV Mon belongs to type ab RR Lyrae variables of the Galactic thick disk.

We briefly describe the large observational project MAGIC aimed at mass spectroscopic studies of stars of different subsystems of our Galaxy. The project was carried out on the Southern African Large Telescope (hereafter referred to as SALT) with efficient use of its capabilities, site’s climate, and spectroscopic instruments. We discuss in detail the issues of high-resolution spectroscopy when studying the chemical composition of Galactic Cepheids. Observations of these objects with HRS echelle spectrograph of SALT telescope started in 2016 and currently the number of such observations exceeds one hundred. Spectra were acquired in the medium-resolution mode (R ~36 500–39 000)with a high signalto-noise ratio (S/N ~50–220). All obtained echelle images acquired were reduced with a package that we developed based on standard MIDAS system. We describe standard reduction steps using the Cepheid RSNor as a test object. Based on the data of spectroscopic observations we determined the atmospheric parameters and the abundances of 31 chemical elements (36 neutral atoms and ions) whose absorption lines are observed in the spectrum of RSNor. We performed all computations using two methods and showed that echelle spectra acquired in the medium-resolution mode of HRS can be used to study the chemical composition of Cepheids with good accuracy and that the results agree with the results of other studies within the quoted errors.

Blazars are radio-loud Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) with relativistic jets oriented towards the observer's line-of-sight. Based on their optical spectra, blazars may be classified as flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) or BL Lacs. FSRQs are more luminous blazars with both narrow and broad emission and absorption lines, while BL Lacs are less luminous and featureless. Recent studies show that blazars dominate (93%) the already-identified EGRET sources (142), suggesting that among the unidentified sources (129) there could still be faint blazars. Due to the presence of a strong non-thermal component inside their jets, blazars are found to display a weaker depression at 4000 �� (K4000, Proceedings paper of IAU S356 "Nuclear Activity in Galaxies Across Cosmic Time" (Ethiopia) accepted to be published under the Cambridge University Press, eds M.Povi\'c, P.Marziani, J.Masegosa, H.Netzer, S.H.Negu and S.B.Tessema

In this paper, we report the results of spectroscopic and photometric observations of the candidate evolved massive star MN48 disclosed via detection of a mid-infrared circular shell around it with the Spitzer Space Telescope. Follow-up optical spectroscopy of MN48 with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) carried out in 2011--2015 revealed significant changes in the spectrum of this star, which are typical of luminous blue variables (LBVs). The LBV status of MN48 was further supported by photometric monitoring which shows that in 2009--2011 this star has brightened by approx 0.9 and 1 mag in the V and I_c bands, respectively, then faded by approx 1.1 and 1.6 mag during the next four years, and apparently started to brighten again recently. The detected changes in the spectrum and brightness of MN48 make this star the 18th known Galactic bona fide LBV and increase the percentage of LBVs associated with circumstellar nebulae to more than 70 per cent. We discuss the possible birth place of MN48 and suggest that this star might have been ejected either from a putative star cluster embedded in the HII region IRAS 16455-4531 or the young massive star cluster Westerlund 1., 11 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

Asynchronous polars (APs) are accreting white dwarfs (WDs) that have different WD and orbital angular velocities, unlike the rest of the known polars, which rotate synchronously (i.e., their WD and orbital angular velocities are the same). Past nova eruptions are the predicted cause of the asynchronicity, in part due to the fact that one of the APs, V1500 Cyg, was observed to undergo a nova eruption in 1975. We used the Southern African Large Telescope 10m class telescope and the MDM 2.4m Hiltner telescope to search for nova shells around three of the remaining four APs (V1432 Aql, BY Cam, and CD Ind) as well as one Intermediate Polar with a high asynchronicity (EX Hya). We found no evidence of nova shells in any of our images. We therefore cannot say that any of the systems besides V1500 Cyg had nova eruptions, but because not all post-nova systems have detectable shells, we also cannot exclude the possibility of a nova eruption occurring in any of these systems and knocking the rotation out of sync., 7 pages, 4 figures, to be published in MNRAS

We describe observations of the apparently empty ring galaxy ESO 474-G040 obtained with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT). The observations, consisting of imaging, long-slit spectroscopy and Fabry-Perot mapping of the H-alpha line, allow determining the ring kinematics as well as estimating the metallicity of the ring and the stellar population composition in its various parts. We propose that the object could best be understood as being the result of a past merger of disk galaxies, which formed a gas ring that subsequently disrupted via the bead instability and is presently forming stars.

The Berkeley Visible Imaging Tube (BVIT) was installed on the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) in January 2009 and subsequently refurbished in August 2010. BVIT is an imaging, photon counting camera with multi-color (B, V, R, and H-α) capability. At the heart of BVIT is a 25 mm diameter active area, microchannel plate, sealed tube device with a visible photocathode and a cross-delay line readout. For each detected event the readout electronics record an X, Y position, an event pulse size (P), and an arrival time (T) — recorded with 25 ns precision. Post-acquisition processing of the X, Y, P, and T photon lists can be used to build images and light curves (to whatever sampling rate is supported by the signal to noise of the source as detected). The instrument design is presented as well as some examples of data acquired with the instrument on SALT.

We present a brief description of the Berkeley Visible Imaging Tube (BVIT) detector system, which is a user instrument on the 10-m Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), and include some preliminary observational results gained in mid-2011. The data show that BVIT is capable of revealing emission features occurring on time-scales of < 0.1 sec, thus opening up for the general user a window of high time-resolution astronomy at visible wavelengths.

A 10-metre class telescope project on African soil is ending its commissioning period and is transitioning to science mode. We present the current status of the Southern African Large Telescope and its instruments. We will also briefly discuss the SALT capabilities for extragalactic astronomy in particular.

Wavelength calibration for astronomical spectra usually involves the use of different arc lamps for different resolving powers to reduce the problem of line blending. We present a technique which eliminates the necessity of different lamps. A lamp producing a very rich spectrum, normally used only at high resolving powers, can be used at the lowest resolving power as well. This is accomplished by modelling the observed arc spectrum and solving for the wavelength calibration as part of the modelling procedure. Line blending is automatically incorporated as part of the model. The method has been implemented and successfully tested on spectra taken with the Robert Stobie spectrograph of the Southern African Large Telescope.

In recent years there have been a number of efforts across Africa to develop the field of astronomy as well as to reap benefit from astronomy for African people. This presentation will discuss the case of the SALT (Southern African Large Telescope) Collateral Benefits Programme (SCBP) which was set up to ensure societal benefit from astronomy. With African society as the target, the SCBP has embarked on various projects from school level education to public understanding of science to socio-economic development, the latter mainly being felt in the rural communities surrounding the South African Astronomical Observatory (home to SALT). A development plan for “Astronomy in Africa” will also be discussed. This plan has been drawn up with input from all over Africa and themed “Astronomy for Education”. The Africa case stands as a good example for the IYA cornerstone project “Developing Astronomy Globally” which focuses on developing regions.

This paper presents the initial results of a multi-site photometric programme to examine the extraordinary behaviour displayed by 18 R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars in the Magellanic Clouds (MCs). RCB stars exhibit a unique variability whereby they undergo rapid declines of up to several magnitudes. These are thought to be caused by the formation of dust in the stellar environment which reduces the brightness. The monitoring programme comprised the collection of UBVRI photometric data using five telescopes located at three different southern hemisphere longitudes (Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, Mount Joun University Observatory in New Zealand, and the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) in South Africa). Examination of the data acquired in the V and I filters resulted in the identification of a total of 18 RCB declines occurring in four stars. Construction of colour-magnitude diagrams (V vs V-I), during the recovery to maximum light were undertaken in order to study the unique colour behaviour associated with the RCB declines. The combined recovery slope for the four stars was determined to be 3.37+/-0.24, which is similar to the value of 3.1+/-0.1 calculated for galactic RCB stars (Skuljan et al. 2003). These results may imply that the nature of the dust (i.e. the particle size) is similar in both our Galaxy and the MCs., accepted for publication in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia

We present CCD imaging observations of early-type galaxies with dark lanes obtained with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) during its performance-verification phase. We derive the extinction law by the extragalactic dust in the dark lanes in the spectral range 1.11mu m^{-1} < lambda^{-1} < 2.94 mu m^{-1} by fitting model galaxies to the unextinguished parts of the image, and subtracting from these the actual images. We find that the extinction curves run parallel to the Galactic extinction curve, which implies that the properties of dust in the extragalactic enviroment are similar to those of the Milky Way. The ratio of the total V band extinction to the selective extinction between the V and B bands is derived for each galaxy with an average of 2.82+-0.38, compared to a canonical value of 3.1 for the Milky Way. The similar values imply that galaxies with well-defined dark lanes have characteristic dust grain sizes similar to those of Galactic dust., 20 pages, 15 figures and 4 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

We describe briefly the properties of the recently completed Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), along with its first light imager SALTICAM. Using this instrument, we present 4.3 hr of high speed unfiltered photometric observations of the eclipsing polar SDSSJ015543.40+002807.2 with time resolution as short as 112 ms, the highest quality observations of this kind of any polar to date. The system was observed during its high luminosity state. Two accreting poles are clearly seen in the eclipse light curve. The binary system parameters have been constrained: the white dwarf mass is at the low end of the range expected for cataclysmic variables. Correlations between the positions of the accretion regions on or near the surface of the white dwarf and the binary system parameters were established. The sizes of the accretion regions and their relative movement from eclipse to eclipse were estimated: they are typically 4-7 deg depending on the mass of the white dwarf. The potential of these observations will only fully be realised when low state data of the same kind are obtained and the contact phases of the eclipse of the white dwarf are measured.

We report the serendipitous discovery of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey star, SDSS J160043.6+074802.9 to be a very rapid pulsator. The variation is dominated by a frequency near 8380 microHz (period = 119.33 s) with a large amplitude (0.04 mag) and its first harmonic at 16760 microHz (59.66 s; 0.005 mag). In between these frequencies, we find at least another 8 variations with periods between 62 and 118 seconds and amplitudes between about 0.007 and 0.003 mag; weaker oscillations might also be present. Preliminary spectrograms from the performance verification phase of the Southern African Large Telescope indicate that SDSS J160043.6+074802.9 is a spectroscopic binary consisting of an sdO star and a late-type main-sequence companion. This makes it the first unambiguous detection of such an sdO star to pulsate, and certainly the first found to exhibit multi-frequency variations., 7 pages, 6 figures (figure 4 at reduced resolution, original available on request). Accepted for publication in MNRAS

I discuss methods and results in the use of photo-polarimetry and spectro-polarimetry in the studies of magnetic cataclysmic variables. In particular I show how polarimetry can be used to derive the geometry of the accretion region on the surface of the white dwarf, the accreting geometry of the system as a whole and how polarimetry aides in the interpretation of X-ray/optical photometry and spectroscopy. I finish by describing the high speed spectro-polarimetric capabilities of SALT (Southern African Large Telescope) due for completion in 2005.

The recently completed Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) is a low cost, innovative, 10 m class optical telescope, which began limited scientific operations in August 2005, just 5 years after ground-breaking. This paper describes the design and construction of SALT, including the first-light instruments, SALTICAM and the Robert Stobie Spectrograph (RSS). A rigorous systems engineering approach has ensured that SALT was built to specification, on budget, close to the original schedule and using a relatively small project team. The design trade-offs, which include an active spherical primary mirror array and a fixed altitude telescope with a prime focus tracker, although restrictive in comparison to conventional telescopes, have resulted in an affordable 10 m class telescope for South Africa and its ten partners. Coupled with an initial set of two seeing-limited instruments that concentrate on the UV-visible region (320 – 900 nm) and featuring some niche observational capabilities, SALT will have an ability to conduct some unique science. This includes high time resolution studies, for which some initial results have already been obtained. Many of the versatile modes available with the RSS - which is currently being commissioned - are unique and provide unparallelled opportunities for imaging polarimetry and spectropolarimetry. Likewise, Multi-Object Spectroscopy (with slit masks) and imaging spectroscopy with the RSS, the latter using Fabry-Perot etalons and interference filters, will extend the multiplex advantage over resolutions from 300 to 9000 and fields of view of 2 to 8 arcminutes. Future instrumentation plans include an extremely stable, fibre-fed, high resolution echelle spectrograph and a near-IR (to between 1.5 to 1.7 m) extension to the RSS. Future development possibilities include phasing the primary mirror and AO. Finally, extrapolations of the SALT/HET designs to ELT proportions remain viable and are surely more affordable than conventional, fully steerable, designs.

We report on recent results from a target-of-opportunity program to obtain spectropolarimetry observations with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) on flaring gamma-ray blazars. SALT spectropolarimetry and contemporaneous multi-wavelength spectral energy distribution (SED) data are being modelled self-consistently with a leptonic single-zone model. Such modeling provides an accurate estimate of the degree of order of the magnetic field in the emission region and the thermal contributions (from the host galaxy and the accretion disk) to the SED, thus putting strong constraints on the physical parameters of the gamma-ray emitting region. For the specific case of the $\gamma$-ray blazar 4C+01.02, we demonstrate that the combined SED and spectropolarimetry modeling constrains the mass of the central black hole in this blazar to $M_{\rm BH} \sim 10^9 \, M_{\odot}$., Comment: Submitted to Galaxies - Proceedings of "Polarized Emission from Astrophysical Jets", Ierapetra, Crete, June 12 - 16, 2017

We report on the discovery of a new Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) symbiotic star, OGLE-SMC-LPV-00861, previously catalogued as H$\alpha$ emission line source LIN 9. The OGLE light curve shows multiple-maxima outburst behaviour over $\sim$1200 d with a maximum outburst of $\Delta V=1.5$ mag. An optical spectrum of LIN 9 taken with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) at quiescence reveals a K5 red giant with emission lines confirming its symbiotic star nature, demonstrating the potential use of ongoing large time-domain surveys to identify strong symbiotic star candidates. It is the first Magellanic symbiotic star proven to show poorly understood Z And outbursts. At outburst the estimated hot component luminosity is $L\sim3165$ $L_\odot$, compared to $L\sim225$ $L_\odot$ at quiescence. Further observations are needed, especially at outburst, to better understand this unique Z And-like system at a known distance, and to provide essential input to physical models of the Z And phenomenon., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letters, 5 pages, 3 figures, 3 tables

The SAAO is at a geographically crucial site in the southern hemisphere between South America and Australasia. SAAO has a long history of involvement in infrared and optical astronomy that dates back almost two hundred years. The observatory expects to continue contributing to astronomical research for many years to come, using its small (0.5m, 0.75m, 1.0m and 1.9m) telescopes and their various instruments (ranging from spectroscopy to polarimetry and high-speed photometry), together with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) and other hosted international telescopes. In this paper, I discuss the capabilities and uses of the SAAO small telescopes, and the challenges that threaten astronomical research at the observatory, including light pollution and other emerging threats to the usually dust-free and dark-night-sky site at Sutherland. This is mitigated by the legislation called the Astronomy Geographic Advantage (AGA) Act of 2007 that protects the observatory from these threats.

cape town Construction of the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), planned to become the largest single telescope in the southern hemisphere, has moved a step closer.

cape town The government of South Africa is to foot half the bill for the construction of the new Southern African Large Telescope. The rest of the money is expected from foreign sources in exchange for observing time.

Quadruply lensed quasars are extremely rare objects, but incredibly powerful cosmological tools. Only few dozen are known in the whole sky. Here we present the spectroscopic confirmation of two new quadruplets WG0214-2105 and WG2100-4452 discovered by Agnello & Spiniello (2018) within the Dark Energy Survey (DES) public footprints. We have conducted spectroscopic follow-up of these systems with the Southern African Large Telescope as part of a program that aims at confirming the largest possible number of optically selected strong gravitational lensing systems in the Equatorial and Southern Hemisphere. For both systems, we present the spectra for the sources and deflectors that allowed us to estimate the source redshifts and unambiguously confirm their lensing nature. For the brighter deflector (WG2100-4452), we measure the stellar velocity dispersion from the spectrum. We also obtain photometry for both lenses, directly from DES multi-band images, isolating the lens galaxies from the quasar images. One of the quadruplets, WG0214-2105, was also observed by Pan-STARRS, allowing us to estimate the apparent brightness of each quasar image at two different epochs, and thus to find evidence for flux variability. This result could suggest a microlensing event for the faintest components, although intrinsic variability cannot be excluded with only two epochs. Finally, we present simple lens models for both quadruplets, obtaining Einstein radii, SIE velocity dispersions, ellipticities, and position angles of the lens systems, as well as time delay predictions assuming a concordance cosmological model., Submitted to MNRAS, 10 pages, 6 figures, 4 tables. Some typos have been corrected with respect to the previous version