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This paper is devoted to the memory of Dr. Victor Afanasiev and his immense legacy. The report highlights the capabilities of two new instruments tested at the 1-meter Zeiss-1000 telescope of SAO RAS: the Stokes Polarimeter (StoP) and the MAGIC focal reducer. Optimized for the study of active galactic nuclei (AGN), methodically, these instruments are suitable for a wide range of small telescope tasks. The fields of view of StoP and MAGIC are 6' and 13' for direct images, respectively. The StoP device allows one to conduct photometric observations and polarimetric ones with a double Wollaston prism; the spectral mode was added to MAGIC. For a starlike target up to 14 mag in medium-band filters with a seeing of 1' ' for 20 minutes of total exposure, the photometry accuracy is better than 0.01 mag and the polarization accuracy is better than 0.6%. The available spectral range obtained with the volume phase holographic grating in MAGIC is 4000-7200AA with a dispersion of 2A/px. StoP and MAGIC received the first light in 2020 and are used in test mode at the Zeiss-1000. The report discusses the first results obtained by the authors with new instruments, as well as further prospects.

Abstract. Factors distorting the statistics of photocounts when detecting objects with low fluxes were considered here. Measurements of the Fano factor for existing CCD systems were conducted. The study allows one to conclude on the quality of the CCD video signal processing channel. The optimal strategy for faint object observations was suggested.

Abstract. Many approaches to the evaluation of erosion technologies have been developed, but not all of them correspond to the reality of the processes that are taking place. The observed discrepancy is most likely due to insufficient consideration of soil parameters. These parameters on the sloping cultivated lands vary significantly and the slope drain hydraulics have their own principal features compared, for example, to river processes. The work substantiates the constructive-technological parameters of profilographs for controlling meliorative technologies on sloping cultivated lands. Identified certain difficulties in the design, implementation and operation of land meliorative activities are often associated with significant spatial and temporal variability of the main parameters of the underlying surface. It is proposed to use the method of determining the average slope by profilography of the tested underlying soil surface to determine these parameters. To implement this method, it is proposed to use a profilograph equipped with an encoder and a position sensor. As a result of the research, the direction and magnitude of the average soil surface slope of the field elementary section is determined, as well as the roughness and waviness of the treated soil surface. The diameter of the scanned circle is substantiated depending on the applied meliorative technology on the sloping cultivated lands as the main constructivetechnological parameter of the profilograph. Based on the results of theoretical studies, the dependence of the number of intersections with the midline on the scanned circle diameter and the width of the technological groove were obtained. The obtained dependence made it possible to calculate the recommended scanning radius of the soil surface by a profilograph for various soil-cultivating and anti-erosion machines, taking into account the microrelief or the crest of the soil after its treatment. The results of the theoretical studies are obtained from the test reports of the anti-erosion machines provided by the machine-testing stations on the sites of the MIS organizations and are presented in tables.