Abastumani

Abastumani Observatory

On Mount Kanobili (1553 m.) in 1932, the Soviet Union built the first astrophysical observatory on the initiative of the Georgian scientist, Evgeni Kharadze.

Abastumani

On Mount Kanobili (1553 m.) in 1932, the Soviet Union built the first astrophysical observatory on the initiative of the Georgian scientist, Evgeni Kharadze. In 1934, a 40 cm Carl Zeiss telescope (refractor) was installed in the observatory. In the same year, Abastumani Observatory was elected as a member of the Pacific Association of Astrophysics. In 1936, Abastumani was first visited by a foreign group of astronomers led by Professor Menzel.

Since 1942, it has kept a daily record of sunspots. In the same year, Georgian astronomer Giorgi Tevzadze discovered two new comets - "Comet 1942 Tevzadze - 1" and "Comet 1942 Tevzadze - 2". It was the first astronomical discovery made by a Georgian astronomer, a feat that was later repeated by many Georgian astronomers.

In 1954, a 70 cm- meniscus telescope was installed in the Observatory. Since 1957, it was launched as the first observation station. Two years later, a ropeway from the mountain Kanobili to Abastumani was put into operation. In 1961, astronomer R. Kiladze first measured the thickness of the rings of Saturn, and in 1974 he first noticed the atmosphere of the planet Mercury. Astronomer A. Churadze discovered the first supernova in Galaxy NGC 3389. Currently, Abastumani Observatory named after its founder, Evgeni Kharadze.