The modern facility was opened 42 years after the construction of the observatory
The new robotic telescope of the Institute of Astronomy – BAS was officially unveiled at 12:00 on July 1 on the territory of the National Astronomical Observatory Rozhen. In the solemn ceremony, connected with the newest acquisition for the astronomical community in Bulgaria, participated the Prime Minister Acad. Nikolai Denkov, Minister of Education and Science Prof. Galin Tzokov, the President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Prof. Julian Revalski, Full Member of BAS, regional and municipal leaders, scientists from Bulgaria and Serbia.
The celebration was opened with a performance of “Izlel e Delyu haidutin” by the talented young singer and violinist Diana Chausheva from the “L. Pipkov” National School of Music in Sofia.
After brief speeches, the ribbon of the new telescope was cut by the Prime Minister Acad. Denkov, Minister Prof. Tzokov, Acad. Revalski and Prof. Semkov. The four of them, accompanied by the Regional Governor of Smolyan Stefan Sabrutev, his deputy Hristo Stanchev and the Mayor of Chepelare Boran Hadzhiev, were the first to see the new facility and were introduced to its capabilities by Dietmar Weinzinger – General Sales Manager of the Austrian company – manufacturer of the telescope.
The Director of the IA with NAO Prof. DSc Evgeni Semkov presented a plaquette “40 years of NAO” to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Education and Science and the Regional Governor of Smolyan.
The “AZ 1500” telescope, with a 1.5 m aperture, was built by “ASA Astrosysteme” GmbH under a project funded by the National Roadmap for Research Infrastructure 2020-2027, coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Science.
Observations with the new facility will be fully automated and without the presence of an operator. The optical system of the telescope itself, consisting of three mirrors with a very precise computerized telescope-pointing system, guarantees diffraction-limited performance and does not require further adjustments.
The largest of the existing telescopes in the observatory has a 2-m mirror and was installed in NAO Rozhen at the end of 1979. The official opening of the largest single investment in scientific infrastructure in Bulgaria was on 13 March 1981. The observatory has three other telescopes: a 50/70-cm Schmidt, a 60-cm Cassegrain and a 30-cm MEADE telescope for solar research. The first Bulgarian station of the pan-European LOFAR radio telescope in South-Eastern Europe is under construction and is expected to be operational in 2025.
The photos are provided by the Press Centre of the Council of Ministers
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
