K. Ivanov

MASTER ROBOTIC NET

The main goal of the MASTER-Net project is to produce a unique fast sky survey with all sky observed over a single night down to a limiting magnitude of 19-20. Such a survey will make it possible to address a number of fundamental problems: search for dark energy via the discovery and photometry of supernovae (including SNIa), search for exoplanets, microlensing effects, discovery of minor bodies in the Solar System, and space-junk monitoring. All MASTER telescopes can be guided by alerts, and we plan to observe prompt optical emission from gamma-ray bursts synchronously in several filters and in several polarization planes.

The MASTER-II network of robotic optical telescopes. First results

The main stages in the creation of the Russian segment of the MASTER network of robotic telescopes is described. This network is designed for studies of the prompt optical emission of gammaray bursts (GRBs; optical emission synchronous with the gamma-ray radiation) and surveys of the sky aimed at discovering uncataloged objects and photometric studies for various programs. The first results obtained by the network, during its construction and immediately after its completion in December 2010, are presented. Eighty-nine alert pointings at GRBs (in most cases, being the first ground telescopes to point at the GRBs) were made from September 2006 through July 2011. The MASTER network holds first place in the world in terms of the total number of first pointings, and currently more than half of first pointings at GRBs by ground telescopes are made by the MASTER network. Photometric light curves of GRB 091020, GRB 091127, GRB 100901A, GRB 100906A, GRB 10925A, GRB 110106A, GRB 110422A, and GRB 110530A are presented. It is especially important that prompt emission was observed for GRB 100901A and GRB 100906A, and thar GRB 091127, GRB 110422A, and GRB 110106A were observed from the first seconds in two polarizations. Very-wide-field cameras carried out synchronous observations of the prompt emission of GRB 081102, GRB 081130B, GRB 090305B, GRB 090320B, GRB 090328, and GRB 090424. Discoveries of Type Ia supernovae are ongoing (among them the brightest supernova in 2009): 2008gy, 2009nr, 2010V, and others. In all, photometry of 387 supernovae has been carried out, 43 of which were either discovered or first observed with MASTER telescopes; more than half of these are Type Ia supernovae. Photometric studies of the open clusters NGC 7129 and NGC 7142 have been conducted, leading to the discovery of 38 variable stars. Sixty-nine optical transients have been discovered.

Prompt, early, and afterglow optical observations of five gamma-ray bursts (GRBs 100901A, 100902A, 100905A, 100906A, and 101020A)

We present results of the prompt, early, and afterglow optical observations of five gamma-ray bursts, GRBs 100901A, 100902A, 100905A, 100906A, and 101020A, made with the Mobile Astronomical System of TElescope-Robots in Russia (MASTER-II net), the 1.5-m telescope of Sierra-Nevada Observatory, and the 2.56-m Nordic Optical Telescope. For two sources, GRB 100901A and GRB 100906A, we detected optical counterparts and obtained light curves starting before cessation of gamma-ray emission, at 113 s and 48 s after the trigger, respectively. Observations of GRB 100906A were conducted with two polarizing filters. Observations of the other three bursts gave the upper limits on the optical flux; their properties are briefly discussed. More detailed analysis of GRB 100901A and GRB 100906A supplemented by Swift data provides the following results and indicates different origins of the prompt optical radiation in the two bursts. The light curves patterns and spectral distributions suggest a common production site of the prompt optical and high-energy emission in GRB 100901A. Results of spectral fits for GRB 100901A in the range from the optical to X-rays favor power-law energy distributions with similar values of the optical extinction in the host galaxy. GRB 100906A produced a smoothly peaking optical light curve suggesting that the prompt optical radiation in this GRB originated in a front shock. This is supported by a spectral analysis. We have found that the Amati and Ghirlanda relations are satisfied for GRB 100906A. An upper limit on the value of the optical extinction on the host of GRB 100906A is obtained.

The optical identification of events with poorly defined locations: the case of the Fermi GBM GRB 140801A

We report the early discovery of the optical afterglow of gamma-ray burst (GRB) 140801A in the 137 deg

Early polarization observations of the optical emission of gamma-ray bursts: GRB 150301B and GRB 150413A

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MASTER OPTICAL POLARIZATION VARIABILITY DETECTION IN THE MICROQUASAR V404 CYG/GS 2023+33

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Transient Detections and Other Real-Time Data Processing from MASTER-VWF Wide-Field Cameras

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First results of the Kourovka Planet Search: discovery of transiting exoplanet candidates in the first three target fields

error-box of the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM). MASTER is the only observatory that automatically react to all Fermi alerts. GRB 140801A is one of the few GRBs whose optical counterpart was discovered solely from its GBM localization. The optical afterglow of GRB 140801A was found by MASTER Global Robotic Net 53 sec after receiving the alert, making it the fastest optical detection of a GRB from a GBM error-box. Spectroscopy obtained with the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias and the 6-m BTA of SAO RAS reveals a redshift of

MASTER Prompt and Follow-Up GRB Observations

z=1.32

Prompt, early and afterglow optical observations of five γ-ray bursts: GRB 100901A, GRB 100902A, GRB 100905A, GRB 100906A and GRB 101020A

. We performed optical and near-infrared photometry of GRB 140801A using different telescopes with apertures ranging from 0.4-m to 10.4-m. GRB 140801A is a typical burst in many ways. The rest-frame bolometric isotropic energy release and peak energy of the burst is