Istanbul University Observatory

Istanbul University Observatory
İstanbul Üniversitesi Gozlemevi

Istanbul University Observatory.
Organization Astronomy and Space Sciences Department
Faculty of Science
Istanbul University
Location Istanbul, Turkey
Coordinates 41°00′45″N 28°57′56″E / 41.01250°N 28.96556°E / 41.01250; 28.96556Coordinates: 41°00′45″N 28°57′56″E / 41.01250°N 28.96556°E / 41.01250; 28.96556
Established 1936
Website www.istanbul.edu.tr/fen/en/gozlemevi.php
Telescopes
Astrograph 30 cm Carl Zeiss Jena
Photosphere 13 cm telescope
Chromosphere 12 cm telescope

The Istanbul University Observatory (Turkish: İstanbul Üniversitesi Gözlemevi) is a ground-based astronomical observatory operated by the Astronomy and Space Sciences Department at Istanbul University's Faculty of Science. Established in 1936, it is situated next to the historic Beyazıt Tower within the main campus of the university at Beyazıt Square in Fatih district of Istanbul, Turkey.[1]

History

Soon after the foundation of the Faculty of Science at Istanbul University in 1933, German astronomer Erwin Finlay-Freundlich was invited to direct the Department of Astronomy. He suggested to establish an observatory. The observatory building with dome was designed by architect Arif Hikmet Holtay. Its grounbreaking took place in December 1935, and the construction, conducted by Ekrem Hakkı Ayverdi, was completed within six months. It became ready for use in the summer of 1936.[1]

As the main instrument of the observatory, an astrograph was ordered to Carl Zeiss Jena in Germany on December 11, 1935. The instrument arrived in Istanbul deassembled in twelve pieces on September 25, 1936, and was installed in the observatory's dome. The facility started its observations in the fall of 1936. It is the first modern observatory of Turkey.[1]

The air and light pollution in downtown Istanbul, where the observatory is located, make it impossible to conduct night observations. For conducting night sky studies, the department initiated a project to establish an observatory at the Onsekiz Mart University in Çanakkale, which was realized in 2002.[1]

Instruments

Currently, the observatory consists of following telescopes and instruments:[1]

Astrograph
Photosphere telescope

Used for the observation of sun spots and plage areas.

Chromosphere telescope

Used for the observation of the structure and interesting phenomena of Sun's chromosphere supported with a monochromator (H-alpha Lyot filter)and a camera (Canon F-1) placed on the focal plane.

Pilot telescope

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "İstanbul Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Gözlemevi". İstanbul Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi. Retrieved 2013-02-22.

External links

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