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Astronomical Observatories in Ukraine relevance to the Unesco Astronomy World Heritage Initiative

Authors:
UDc 52
LB,C22,6
А89
Published Ьу decision ofthe Sсiепtфс Соuпсil of
Engelhardt Дstrопоmiсаl оЬ s ervatory
scientific Editor
Academician (Full Member) of RAS Mikhail Yа. Marov
Nominated Сhаir, WG on Space Technology, UNESCO'World HeTitage Committee
Chair, WG 4 оп Heritage of Space Exploration, IAU Commssion С.С4
Associate Scientific Editors:
Olga В. Dluzhnevskaya, рhD, IjNESCO WoTld Heritage Focal Point from Russia,
Thematic Initiative "Astronomy and WoTld Heritage"
Jarita с ноlьrооk, prof. physics Department, university of the westem Саре, south дfriса
Viktor К. ДЬаlаКп, Corresponding mеmЬег of the Russian Дсаdеmу of Sciences (RДS)
Yuri д. Nefedyev, Dr.Sci.,Prof.,Director of Engelhardt Astronomical observatory, Russia
Tamila М. РоtуоmНпа, PhD, Senior researcher of the Institute of дrhаеоlоgу of RДS
Drafters:
Olga В. Dluzhnevskaya, PhD (Phys.-Math.), INASAN RAS
Y.A. Nefedyev Dr. Sci. (Phys.-Math.), Prof., КFU
Yiсtоr S. Borovskih, PhD @hys.-Math.), KSUAE
лз9 Дstrопоmу and world heritage: across time and continents / edited Ьу Mikhail Yа. Marov. -
Kazan: Publishing House of Kazan University, 2016. -214 р.
ISBN 978-5-00019-б18-2
This collective monograph contains results of the study саrriеd out Ьу the European, Asian and
дmеriсап scientists - specialists in аrсhаеоаstrопоmу and basic astronomy, made in the framework ofthe
UNESсO Thematic Initiative "Astronomy and World Heritage" (Сооrdiпаtоr Mrs. Аппа Sidorenko-Dulom,
LrNESCO HQ). The book examines the mаjог milestones in astronomical rеsеаrсh and discoveries involving
historival monuments of interest to archeoastronomy and of international value. Тhе mопоgrарh will Ье
useful to professional researchers in the field of archeology and the history of аstrопоmу, as well as to
sfudents ofrelevant scientific disciplines and to lауmеп of а broad interest.
This wоrk was supported and funded Ьу the subsidy allocated to kazan Fеdеrаl university fоr the
State assignment in the brMch ofscientific activities.
UDc 52
LB'C22.6
ISBN 978-5-00019-б18-2 @ Publishing Eouse of Kazan Universiф,201б
в5. ASTRONOMIсAL овSЕRчАтойrs IN UKRAINE:
RELEVANCE ТО ТНЕ UNESCO ASTRONOMY
WORLD HERITAGE INITьTIVE
G.I. Рiпigiпl, Zh.A. Pozhaloya', A.N. Rostopchiпa-Shakhovskaya2, N,L Вопdаr2,
L.V. Каzапtsеуа', S. М, Дпdriеvsф, V.G. Каrеtпikоча
lResearch lпstitute "Nikоlаеч Аstrопоmiсаl Observatory", Mykolaiv, Ukraiпe
2 Researck Iпstitutе "Сrimеап Astrophysical Observatory", Crimea, Russia
3 ДstrопоmiсаlОЬsеrvаtоrу, Taras ShеусИепkо Nаtiопаl Uпivеrsiф, Kyiv, Ukraiпe
4 Research Iпstitute "Дstrопоmiсаl Observatory, I.I. Месhпikоу Natioпal Uпivеrsiф,
odessa, ukrаiпе
Iп2004, the UNESCO World Heritage Сепtеr has announced а new
Initiative "Astronomy & World Heritage". Its рurроsе is to find and
рrеsеrче the historical and cultural sites and buildings related to
astronomy. In UkTaine, the astronomical expert group (AEG) to take part
in the рrоgrаm called Klnitiative> was set up. As а result of its activity, the
set "Astronomical Observatories in UkTaine" was suggested to Ье inscribed
in the tentative list of the IJNESCO World Heritage (#5267) in 2008. The
set originally involved three Ukrainean observatories from Kyiv,
Mykolaiv, Odessa, and also Crimean observatory. They were distinguished
Ьу the high level of scientific research and integriф.
In 200В-2009, а new project KThematic Sfudy> as а succession of the
<Initiative> has begun under supervision of IAU and IJNESCO, The
Tespective working gloups were organized to compile а database of most
important astronomy sites from prehistory to space astronomy (14 themes
in total). In this рареr, the description of astronomical observatories of
UkTaine is given aiming to accomodate the criteria of the project
KThematic Studp. Three observatories (in Kyiv, Mykolaiv and Odessa)
аrе suggested as the objects in the theme ooAstronomy from the
Renaissance to the mid-Mentieth сепturу". Originally the Crimean
Astrophysical Observatory was incorporated in the theme "Contemporary
Astronomy" as organization being in 2008 under Ukrainean jurisdiction.
20з
Nikolaev Дstrопоmiсаl ОЬ s erv atory Res earch Iпs titute NДО).
NAO is historical and astronomical complex with the Teserved territory of
total аrеа of 7. 1 hectares in the central part of Mykolaiv city (Ulcaine). As
for the history of the observatory, NAO was the oldest Naval Observatory
in the South-Eastem Europe, founded in 1821 for providing the needs of
the Russian Black Sea Navy (Пинигин et а1, 2005). Nowadays the names
of cities аrе given in UЩаiпiап, as it was officially adopted аftеr the
Ukraine independence proclaimed in 1990.
The beginning of scientific rеsеаrсh at the Observatory is connected
with its first director К. Кпоrrе. Frоm 1912 through 1991, NAO was one
of the Southem departments of Pulkoyo Observatory and since 1992 it has
become an independent leading institution of Ulcaine in the field of
positional astronomy involving dynamics of Solar system bodies, rеsеаrсh
of the near-Earth space, astronomical instrumentation, etc. In 2007 it was
inscribed in the Ukranian Tentative List of the UNESCO WH (#5116).
The most significant part of the complex includes the Main building which
was built in 1821-1829 in the sфlе of Classicism (Fig. В5.1). This is а
classic example of architectuTe fоr astronomical observatories of ХVШ-
XIX-th centuries. It has been used simultaneously for various needs, such
as working. _iogms, spaces for telescopes and appartrnents for personnel.
The astronbbical pavilions (1875, 191З, 1955, etc.) with instruments
Repsold meridian circle (MCR), Repsold vertical circle (VCR), Саrl Zeiss
Jena zonal astrograph (ZA) have been preserved since then. MCR (1834)
was one of the first telescopes of the Pulkovo Observatory, which has Ьееп
used in NAO after Testoration and modernization fоr 40 years (Fig. В5.2),
since 1955; VCR (l897) has been used fоr mоrе than 70 years, since 1913;
апd ZA has Ьееп used since 1961, rvhile historically it has been designed
Ьу Carl Zeiss firm in Jena (1925) fоr observations adapting the
Astronomische Gesellschaft Catalogs (AGK). About 20 stands
demonstrating astronomical, geodetical and navigational instruments and
devices, as well as the collection of astronomical clocks of ХVШ-ХХ-th
centuries, аrе exposed in the Observatory museum.
The high level of authenticiý and integrity of the site is certified Ьу
the documents. The documentation is kept in the Observatory archives
Fig. 85.1 МаiпЬuildiпgоf NДО, photo 1913 Fig, В5,2 Repsold mеridiап circle, ]834
Fic. В5.3 Gепеrаl view of Сrimеап
astrophysical observatory. It was fоuпdеd iп
Juпе 30, I945
Fig. В5.1 ReJlector паmеd after асаdеmiсiап
G.А. Shajп - the largest telescope
Fig. В5,5 Маiп buildiпg of Дstrопоrпiсаl
observatoly of Kyiv Uпivеrsiф Fig. В5.6 Repsoldпeridiaп circle, ]В7]
205
since the time of foundation in 1821 and includes astrophotographic plates,
digital databases of NAO, astrometric catalogs of observations, the library
collection ofrare books and periodical scientific litеrаturе.
The territory of NAO, as one of the oldest Ечrореап scientific
instifutions, is protected ofГrcially Ьу the Statute for keeping historical and
cultural reserved territory named "The Observatory". In particular, the
Main building is regprded as monument of аrсhitесtчrе in the State
Registry #535. The jurisdiction involves renewal''and Testoration of the
Main building, restoration of telescope pavilions and preservation of the
tеrritоry of NAO as а scientific and сultшrаl center for populaTization of
the Observatory history and dissemination of the astronomical knowledge
to the general public.
Дstrопоmiсаl Observatory of the Nаtiопаl Taras Shеvсhепkо Uпiversф,
Kyiv (ДО KNU)
АО KNU occupies the аrеа of 2.6 hectares in а historical part of
Kyiv. Ву the Decree of the Expert Committee of the State Service of the
National Cultural Heritage in 2007, it was recognized as а historic-cultural
monument on the national protection level.
АО KNU has been officially inaugurated on FеЬruаry 7, 1845
t
(Богоро,дсzкий et al, |919). The Main Building was designed Ьу V. Beretty
and butft in 1841-1845, but later on rebuild in the simplified style of
Classicism. It has the tower of octaheфal shape (Fig. В5.5). There is а
meTidian rооm on the West side with an exit to the open tеrrасе, where
portable astronomic instruments can Ье installed. The fоur forge-iron
columns with the relief ornament, а hand rail of stairs made of cast irоп, а
tiled stove with stucco moulding аrе рrеsеrчеd in the central hall. The
architectural complex had been partially rebuilt in 1860-1890. The Main
building is registered as the architecture monument #442 (|979) on the
national protection level. The set of laboratories, housing buildings,
pavilions for new telescopes was built in 1946-1960. Nowadays, the Main
building, the meridian circle pavilion, the astrograph pavilion, the
It was founded as the Ьrапсh (observatory) of the Imperial Novorussia
University in 1871 (Karetnikov,2007). The main one-storied building of
АО OdNU was designed Ьу А. Bernardazzi and built in 1871. It has а
rectangular shape in the East-V/est direction (Fig. В5.7). In 1886, the
round two-storied dome fоr the Cooke telescope was attached to this
building .The main building is а monument of architecture and history
under National protection (Repolutions of the odessa Regional Executive
Committee #652, 1984, and #З92, lgs'l)
Fig. В5.7 Маiп buildiпg ofAstroпomical оЬsеrvаtоry ofthe Odessa {Jпivеrsiф
То the East of the Main building, а special meridian pavilion was
erected fоr the Repsold meridian circle (D:135 mm, F:1980 mm), that
nT
was installed i{ 1862; it has а sliding slit in walls and roof along the
meridian fоr observations. About 150,000 observations were made with
this RMC, all of them having constituted the basis for compiling about 30
catalogues. At present the RMC is also used for the educational and
training purposes, as well as for demonstrations during general public
group visits.
Two-storied round tower with the rotating dome was built in 1886 to
the East of the main building for installing the cooke telescope-refractor
(CTR). The Cooke & Sons Со. telescope-refractor (1Sб6) is equipped with
the objective lens of D:165 mm and F:2850 mm. The CTR was the
largest telescope in the Observatory up to 1954. Visual and photographic
observations of variable stars, transit of planets through the solar disc,
eclipses of the Sun and the Moon. Nowadays the CTR is widely used for
the educational and training ends, and for demonstrations during general
public group visits as well. In 1915, the round tower and the meridian
Ioom were rebuilt in accordance with the design of architect А.
Bemardazzц having taken their present architectural арреаrапсе, including
the main entrance, the rоuпd hall, premises, mаrЬlе stairs to the first floor,
the bllcony around the tower, and the platform fоr observations.
At present, the Research Institute "Astronomical Observatory" is а
structural part of Odessa National University named after I.I. Mechnikov.
It is subordinated to Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The
main scientific fields of the Observatory activities aIe as follows:
determination of star positions, rеsеаrсh of the Sun, variable stars, meteors,
spectroscopy ofstars, and compilation ofhigh accuracy star catalogues. It
should Ье noted that long befoTe the 1917 Bolshevik coup d'ёtаt the
famous scientist А. Р. HansН who had worked at the Observatory had
been awarded with the Lёgiоп d'honnerrr Order of Frапсе and received the
Janssen Award of the Frепсh Academy of Sciences for the prominent
research of the Sun done Ьу himself and his colleagues. The archive of
photographic observations contains mоrе than 107000 astroplates taken in
the XIX - XX-th cenfuries, the Odessa astroplate collection occupying the
third place in the world for the пumЬеr of astroplates after the Harvard and
Sonneberg collections. About 40 telescopes with mirrors up to 1 m in
diameter wеrе manufactured in the Observatory optical and mechanical
shop in 1968 througb \999, such as the Schmidt telescope, two telescopes
for meteor observations, the telescope for Earth's satellite obsetvations,
two laser ranging telescopes and mапу others.
The "Сriпеап Astrophysical ОЬseryatory" Research Iпstitute (СrДО)
Historically, in the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage was
also included CrAO, which is now under jurisdiction of Russian
Federation. Since the time of Fоrmеr Soviet Union it was jointly exploited
209
ьу Russian and ukrainean astronomers and benefited to both nations. The
main features of this observatory are described below.
The Сrimеап Astrophysical Observatory is one of the largest
observatories in Еurоре (DobronTavin Р.Р. et а1, 1965, Fig. В5.3). Its
instrumentation base allows to реrfоrm а wide scope of reseaTch in the
sоlаr and stellar physics, to sfudy galaxies and ultra-high energy sources,
to investigate the dynamical апр physical properties of minor bodies in the
solar system, to solve problems of the asteToid hazard and'ecology of the
near-Earth Space. The Night brightrress at the Nauchny site where
СrАо is located, is about 2|maglsec2 in the visible rапgе. About 20
telescopes of different роwеr are operated at the observatory. The largest
of them is the 2.б m reflector named аftеr Academician GTegory shain
(Fig. В5.а). Тhеrе are also the 1.2 m automated reflector, the solar tower
telescope with the |.22 m main mirrоц the unique optical gаmmа-
telescope with the total mirrоr аrеа of 54 m', the 22 mтаdiо telescope RT-
22. T!.e Observatory cooperates with many instifutes of Russia, Ulcaine,
USA, and the countries of Ечrоре and Asia. The telescope RT-22 is
incorporated into the European Vеry Long Base Interferometry (VLBD
network.
The CrAO'ig-known as the centre of design and manufacturing
telescopes and abtronomical instruments foT the ground-based and space
research. The scientific archive of the СтАО contains multi-year
observations of the sun, stars, galaxies and individual objects, different
srrrveys and catalogues. The library contains about 165 thousand items in
astronomy and other scientific fields, some of them dating back as fаr as to
the ХVП-th cenfury, atlases and celestial charts, different catalogues.
Since 1947 CrAO publishes the magazine "Izvestiya Кп/m. Astrofiz.
Obs. " j очrпаl (Bull. Crimean Astrophys. Obs.).
The history of СrАО extends over several periods of fime: the private
observatory of N.S. Mal'tsov at Simeiz in 1900-1908, а branch of the
Pulkovo Observatory in 1908-1944, СrАО of the USSR Academy of
Science iп 1945-|991, Scientific Research Institute of the Ministry of
Education and Science of Ukraine (199i-2014), СrАО of the Russian
Academy of Sciences since 2014. The Observatory is located in three
picfuresque places of the Crimea. The basic departments and
administration аIе in the Nauchny village in Bakhchisaraj region, the
Radio Astronomy Laboratory and its subdivision, the Simeiz Observatory,
ате sifuateý on the Black Sea coast in the Katsiveli and Goluboy Za|iv
villages. The five mаjоr telescopes and the Satellite Laser Ranging station
"Simeiz-1873" hаче а national heritage status. The Main building at the
Simeiz Observatory where Acad. G.A. Shajn lived and worked for years,
has а stafus of architectural value and is under state protection. The same
status has а house where Dr. А.Р. Hanski lived. Memorial plaques in
honour ofN.S. Mal'tsov, the founder of the Simeiz Observatory, and а few
of the first Simeiz asffonomers is fixed оп the pavilion where the
Observatory's first telescope was installed. The memorial plaque
commemorating Acad. А.В. Severny, the fоrmеr director of СrАО, is
mounted at Nauchny.
СrАО рrеsеrчеs tTaditions and remarkable stages of the development
of astrophysics in the XX-th century. It remains а modern world-
recognized observatory and represents significant object at the World
Heritage level.
Refereпces:
РiПigiп GI Petroy, GM, Pozhaloya Nikolaey Дstrопоmiсаl Observatory I85 years // Iп:
Дstrопоmiсаl Саlепdаr 200б, yol. ]0В, Sec. Ed. I. Каhп, St. Petersburg., 2005, р. Iб1-]67.
DоЬrопrауiп Р.Р,, Stеshепkо N.V. The Сriпеап Дstrop|lysical Obseruatory. Simferopol: Crimea,
l9б5,79 р.
BogorodsИy АF, Сhеrпоу AN Create Astroпolпical Observatory of Kiev (Jпivеrsiф апd Ьеgап her
scientфc actiyity // Bulletiп of the Uпivеrsiф of Kiev, Дstrопоmу, vol. 21, Кiеv, 1979.
Каrеtпikоv V.G,, Dorokhova T.N. Odessa Observatory as а Cultural alld Sсiепtфс Еduсаtiопаl
Сепtеr оп the Black Sea// ASPC опf, Ser., 2007, у.377, р.375-379.
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ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any citations for this publication.
The Сriпеап Дstrop|lysical Obseruatory
  • Р Р Dоьrопrауiп
DоЬrопrауiп Р.Р,, Stеshепkо N.V. The Сriпеап Дstrop|lysical Obseruatory. Simferopol: Crimea, l9б5,79 р.
Create Astroпolпical Observatory of Kiev (Jпivеrsiф апd Ьеgап her scientфc actiyity
  • Аf Bogorodsиy
  • An Сhеrпоу
BogorodsИy АF, Сhеrпоу AN Create Astroпolпical Observatory of Kiev (Jпivеrsiф апd Ьеgап her scientфc actiyity // Bulletiп of the Uпivеrsiф of Kiev, Дstrопоmу, vol. 21, Кiеv, 1979.
Odessa Observatory as а Cultural alld Sсiепtфс Еduсаtiопаl Сепtеr оп the Black Sea// ASPC опf, Ser
  • V G Каrеtпikоv
  • T N Dorokhova
Каrеtпikоv V.G,, Dorokhova T.N. Odessa Observatory as а Cultural alld Sсiепtфс Еduсаtiопаl Сепtеr оп the Black Sea// ASPC опf, Ser., 2007, у.377, р.375-379. 2\1