Advisor

To my parents, Irina and Veniamin, who were my first mentors and guides, and have continued to be so for the last twenty-nine years. To my sister, Eugenia, who has always been there to help and support me. And to Sarah, who has put up with my long nights and even longer trips. May our love last as long as the stars, yet have only joyful outbursts! iv Acknowledgments Six years ago, I came to Caltech interested in gravitational waves and other exotic ideas. I never thought that I would become an observational astronomer. But it has been an amazing journey, filled with many long nights on remote mountaintops, lots and lots of data analysis, and, every so often, some actual astrophysics! Many people helped me along the way, and I could not have done it without you. First and foremost, I must thank my advisor, Professor Tom Prince, for guiding m