Crimean Astrophysical Observatory: address, photo

Traveling around the Crimea is a fascinating event that leaves no one indifferent. Many tourists, coming to the peninsula, hurry to the beaches, completely forgetting that there are many other interesting places on the territory of the Crimea, attention to which is not so much riveted, but from this they do not become less significant. One of such points, the route to which should be laid in advance, is the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory (the town of Nauchnyi). About her and talk more about the article.

brief information

The Crimean Astrophysical Observatory is located twenty-five kilometers from the city of Simferopol. The date of the foundation of the scientific station is June 30, 1945. Initially, it was the Simeiz Branch of the Pulkovo Observatory, which has now become a branch of the Crimea.

Historical reference

The Crimean Astrophysical Observatory was established in the beginning of the 20th century on a mountain called Cat. This observation post was then considered private and was the possession of a rich amateur studying the stars of Nikolai Maltsov. In 1912, the observatory was presented to a similar Pulkovo institution, thanks to which it began to transform into a full-fledged research and development center, which began to carry out photometry of stars and small planets.

In 1926, the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory acquired a meter English reflector, which at that time was the largest on the European continent. However, the fighting that reached the scientific center during World War II, virtually erased it from the face of the earth. But already in the summer of 1945 the leadership of the Soviet state issued a decree on the restoration of the observatory and in parallel the creation of a new scientific station, which was to be located in the central part of the Crimea, where the geography was more adapted for mounting large telescopes.

Beginning of observations

The Crimean Astrophysical Observatory of the Crimea was primarily equipped with forty-eight inch reflectors and a 16-inch refractor-astrograph, which were obtained from Germany for reparation. Installations were made by the German company Carl Zeiss. Regular observations on an ongoing basis over space began as early as the 1950s. Unfortunately, the 48-inch reflector is practically unable to perform its basic functions today, as its dome has rusted very much, and it is impossible to repair its worn-out mechanical parts due to poor financing.

Features

The Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, the photo of which is reproduced below, for the most part is located on the slope of Mount Sel-Bokhra from its southern side. The research station is located at an altitude of 550-600 meters above sea level. Most of the staff is permanently residing in the village of Nauchny, which, in turn, is very close to the observatory. The settlement was created by Dobronravin in 1957.

Presence of forests on the mountains from the south and west allows to block extraneous illumination and stabilize the surrounding atmosphere. In addition, the forests completely absorb the existing dust and significantly reduce the turbulence and wind currents, thereby providing an excellent astronomical climate.

In essence, the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory is a full-fledged scientific town with a well-developed infrastructure, various workshops, laboratories, hotel complexes and a very beautiful picturesque park. In addition to all this, the surrounding nature is very beautiful and leaves a very pleasant impression for visitors.

Current work

About 300 people work in this Crimean scientific center. Of these, 80 people are exclusively scientists. The main activities of the observatory are:

• Studying the physics of stars.
• A detailed analysis of the physics of the sun.
• Investigation of radio astronomy.
• Conducting extragalactic and gamma astronomy.
• Carrying out astrophysical experiments.
• Optical production.

All these vectors of research personnel allow us to study the activity of stars and their magnetism, the structure and atmosphere of stars, to survey asteroids, satellites. In addition, attention is paid to sunspots and outbreaks of this star, solar-terrestrial connections and many other factors and aspects are analyzed.

How to get there

So, where is the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory? Its address is: Crimea, Bakhchisar district, town. Scientific. Getting to this research astrological center is quite simple. If you go by car, then the map will come to the rescue, on which you must find the specified village and any road that leads to it. Directly on the spot, it will not be difficult at all, since the observatory is still not a needle and can be seen from afar. If you plan to go by public transport, then it is best to leave Simferopol by trolley or bus from the railway station or from the automobile station "Zapadnaya".

Tips for tourists

The Crimean Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences is the place that, naturally, should be visited in clear weather. To go visitors it is necessary by the evening, as the working day at astronomers begins at night. During the period of August the excursions take their beginning at 19.30 local time.

It is important to know that if the moon is full in the sky, then the trip should be postponed. This is due to the fact that this heavenly body completely shines all the rest of the heavenly space and nothing will be seen.

From practical advice it is possible to give the following: with itself it is necessary to take a flashlight, because the territory of the station is lighted very badly, and the most interesting in the observatory can be seen at night.

Also on the territory of the observatory there is a unique museum, which is entirely devoted to astronomical and space research. Tourists can watch the operation of huge in size mechanisms located directly in the towers of telescopes.

As for the local beauties, from the dome surface of the youngest telescope in the observatory AZT-11 in good weather you can see the surrounding mountains and even the highest peak of the Crimea - Roman-kosh, whose height is 1545 meters. And on the horizon line it is quite possible to see the lighthouse of the city of Sevastopol.

The most interesting thing is that tourists can view the night sky, or rather the bodies located on it, in only one telescope, which is small in size. All the rest of his "colleagues" have been connected to modern computer systems for a very long time and function exclusively in the digital version.

After the tour ends in the main building, everyone can easily buy to themselves and their loved ones various popular scientific publications, books, magnets and other interesting souvenirs, as well as photographs and disks with images of various universal beauties, ranging from very dangerous comets and asteroids And ending with the giant clusters of galaxies located on the outskirts of our huge and not yet fully explored universe.

And one more important point: we should remember that the observatory is located exactly on the town. Scientific, and not on Ai-Petri, as many for some reason mistakenly believe. Remember that on this rather high and difficult mountain for climbing, a military radar installation is permanently stationed, which is completely a regime facility, and passage to outsiders is strictly forbidden there.

Instead of concluding

The research base has its own printed edition, which also exists in the electronic version. Its full name is "Izvestia of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory" (T 79 - designation of one of its volumes). For today there is an accessible archive of the edition, since January, 1974. The circulation of the magazine, unfortunately, is not as great as it would be desirable, but thanks to the Internet, anyone can read its content on the relevant site.