Format: IAU - Outstanding Astronomical Heritage

Description

Geographical position 

• InfoTheme: Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century
  Entity: 245
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  Date: 2022-12-01 01:17:38
  Author(s): Gudrun Wolfschmidt

Astronomical Observatory at the University of Sofia "St. Kliment Ohridski", Department of Astronomy, Faculty of Physics, 5 "James Bourchier" Blvd., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria

See also Rozhen Observatory or Bulgarian National Astronomical Observatory (1981)

 

Location 

• InfoTheme: Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century
  Entity: 245
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  Status: PUB
  Date: 2022-12-01 02:13:23
  Author(s): Gudrun Wolfschmidt

Latitude 42.681964° N, longitude 23.344570° E, Elevation ...m above mean sea level.

 

IAU observatory code 

• InfoTheme: Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century
  Entity: 245
  Subentity: 1
  Version: 1
  Status: PUB
  Date: 2022-12-01 01:16:00
  Author(s): Gudrun Wolfschmidt

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Description of (scientific/cultural/natural) heritage 

• InfoTheme: Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century
  Entity: 245
  Subentity: 1
  Version: 2
  Status: PUB
  Date: 2022-12-01 02:13:55
  Author(s): Gudrun Wolfschmidt

The University of Sofia, the first higher educational institution in Bulgaria after the Liberation (1878), was founded in 1888.
One year later the Department of Astronomy at the Faculty of Physics was founded in 1889. In 1904, Sofia University was named "St. Kliment Ohridski". The building of the university, 15 Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard, Sofia, was constructed between 1924 and 1934.

  

The Astronomical Observatory at the University of Sofia "St. Kliment Ohridski" was built in 1892/94 in Borisova Gradina Park, initiated by Prof. Marin Bachevarov (1859--1926), the first professor in astronomy at the University since 1892. Already in 1887, the first meteorological station was founded. The main astronomical teaching topics were spherical astronomy, planetary and celestial mechanics, in 1897, astrophysics was introduced. In 1910, he established the Institute of Astronomy. In addition, Iordan Kovachev (*1875) was called as first assistant professor from 1901 to 1904. Bachevarov observed Halley’s comet in 1910; also ephemerids were calculated.

     

The first small telescope, made by Merz of Munich, came from the Bulgarian scientist Dr. Peter Beron. In 1886, Peter Beron’s nephew, Stefan Beron, donated it, then it came to the university in 1892; on display in the National Polytechnic Museum in Sofia.

Bachevarov acquired the first telescope in Bulgaria, the 6-inch (15.2cm) Refractor with equatorial mounting, made by Grubb of Dublin (1897).

        

Nikola Ivanov Bonev (1898--1979), director from 1928 to 1965, modernized the observatory and added buildings. From 1942 to 1986, the Observatory had a timekeeping service. The launch of the first artificial Earth satellites were observed from here.

 

History 

• InfoTheme: Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century
  Entity: 245
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  Version: 3
  Status: PUB
  Date: 2022-12-01 02:15:08
  Author(s): Gudrun Wolfschmidt

           

Instruments

• Small telescope, made by Merz of Munich, used for student education
• 6-inch (15.2cm) Refractor with equatorial mounting, made by Grubb of Dublin (1897)
  
  
• 14-inch modern Newtonian telescope
• 14-inch CGE-1400 - Celestron
• Radio telescope with a 23-m-diameter dish (90-inch)

 

Directors

• 1892 to 1926 -- Marin Bachevarov (1859--1926),
  Assistant professors:
  1901 to 1904 -- Iordan Kovachev (1875--....), assistant professor
  1904 to 1914 Kiril Popov (1880--1966), assistant professor
  1907 to 1908 -- Nikola Stoyanov (1874--....), assistant professor
  1924 to 1927 -- Ventsislav Chernokolev (1896--....)
  
  
• 1927 to .... -- Ruscho Rainov (1894--....), assistant professor
  
  
• 1928 to 1965 -- Nikola Ivanov Bonev (1898--1979), 1937 associate professor, modernized the observatory and added buildings
  Assistant professors:
  1941 to 1946 -- Razum Andreichin (1911--1997), first photoelectric observations in Bulgaria, 1943--1945
  1945 to .... -- Malina Popova, first Bulgarian female doctor in astronomy
  1946 to .... -- Angel Bonov (1919--1985), 1971 associate professor, discovered the 176-year cycle of the Sun’s activity
  
  
• 1966 to 1989 -- Nikola Nikolov
  
  
• Since 1989 -- associate professors: Peter Kunchev, D.Sc. Georgi Ivanov and Prof. Valeri Golev
  
  
• Since 2015 -- Evgeni Petev Ovcharov, 2012 associate professor

 

State of preservation 

• InfoTheme: Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century
  Entity: 245
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  Version: 2
  Status: PUB
  Date: 2022-12-01 02:15:32
  Author(s): Gudrun Wolfschmidt

 

The first Astronomical Observatory in Bulgaria will be entirely restored (2019).

 

Comparison with related/similar sites 

• InfoTheme: Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century
  Entity: 245
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  Date: 2022-12-01 02:15:58
  Author(s): Gudrun Wolfschmidt

It is a typical one-dome observatory like Copenhagen or Lund.

 

Threats or potential threats 

• InfoTheme: Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century
  Entity: 245
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  Date: 2022-12-01 01:16:02
  Author(s): Gudrun Wolfschmidt

no information available

 

Present use 

• InfoTheme: Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century
  Entity: 245
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  Date: 2022-12-01 02:16:27
  Author(s): Gudrun Wolfschmidt

The research in the Institute of Astronomy includes Variable Stars, Extragalactic Astronomy, Observational Methods, Stellar Atmospheres, Active Galactic Nuclei, and Cosmology.

In addition, the observatory with the historic 15.2cm-Grubb-Refractor is used for public outreach.

 

Astronomical relevance today 

• InfoTheme: Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century
  Entity: 245
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  Date: 2022-12-01 02:17:26
  Author(s): Gudrun Wolfschmidt

The Institute of Astronomy (IA) with the Bulgarian National Astronomical Observatory (NAO) employ about 50 astronomers who are working in the following fields of research:

• Small bodies in the Solar system (physics and chemistry of asteroids, comets, planet satellites);
• Solar astrophysics (computer simulations of active processes, magneto-hydro-dynamical modeling);
• Stellar astrophysics (symbiotic stars, peculiar stars, cataclysmic variables, flare stars)
• Extragalactic research (active galactic nuclei, large scale structures in the Universe, cosmology).
  
  

  

  Fig. 8a. 2m-dome of Rozhen Observatory (1981), (Wikipedia, CC2, Photo: Daniel Chanliev)

   

  
  
  

  

  Fig. 8b. Solar Telescope (credit Rozhen Observatory)

             

  

  Fig. 8c. 50/70-cm Schmidt camera (credit Rozhen Observatory)

   
  
  

  

  Fig. 8d. 60-cm Cassegrain telescope (credit Rozhen Observatory)

             

  

  Fig. 8e. 200-cm Ritchey-Chretien-Coudé telescope (RRC), (credit Rozhen Observatory)

   
  
  

Rozhen Observatory or Bulgarian National Astronomical Observatory (1981), NAO Rozhen, Smolyan, near Chepelare southern Bulgaria, 90km  south of the city of Plovdiv (IAU code 071), 41°41’36’’ N 24°44’20’’ E, 1759m

Telescopes:

• 200-cm Ritchey-Chretien telescope (supplied with Coudé focus) RRC
• 60-cm Cassegrain telescope
• 50/70-cm Schmidt camera
• 15-cm Solar telescope

 

References

Bibliography (books and published articles) 

• InfoTheme: Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century
  Entity: 245
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  Version: 3
  Status: PUB
  Date: 2022-12-01 02:31:01
  Author(s): Gudrun Wolfschmidt

• ...
• Tsvetkov, Milcho K.: The 50/70-cm Schmidt Telsscope at the Bulgarian National Astronomical Observatory. In: Capaccioli, M. (eds): Astronomy with Schmidt-Type Telescopes. Dordrecht: Springer (Astrophysics and Space Science Library book series, ASSL,volume 110) 1982, p. 207-209.
  (https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6387-0_31).

 

Links to external sites 

• InfoTheme: Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century
  Entity: 245
  Subentity: 1
  Version: 3
  Status: PUB
  Date: 2022-12-01 02:30:09
  Author(s): Gudrun Wolfschmidt

• Sofia University Astronomical Observatory
  
  
• Department of Astronomy, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
  
  
• Department of Astronomy, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" -- History
  
  
• Institute of Astronomy with National Astronomical Observatory
  
  
• Rozhen Observatory -- Bulgarian National Astronomical Observatory

 

Links to external on-line pictures 

• InfoTheme: Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century
  Entity: 245
  Subentity: 1
  Version: 1
  Status: PUB
  Date: 2022-12-01 01:16:03
  Author(s): Gudrun Wolfschmidt

no information available