Solar telescope at the Terskol observatory (Caucasus, Russia)

These pictures were taken in March 2006 during a solar-eclipse campaign. The top one shows the heliostat of the large horizontal solar telescope of the Peak Terskol Observatory (Kabardino-Balkaria, Caucasus, Russia) at 3100 m of altitude. The entire building in the middle picture (behind the heliostat) is the actual telescope. The bottom photography shows the interior of the telescope with the primary mirror (D=650 mm). More about this amazing instrument you can find on the website of the observatory and in Burlov-Vasilev et al (1996). However, behind this telescope is a great human power of my dear friend Olexa Andriyenko. Working with him was one of the best experiences of my life.