National Observatory of Athens
The National Observatory of Athens (Greek Ethniko Asterosokopio Athinon Εθνικό Αστεροσκοπείο Αθήνων ) is a research facility in Athens, Greece. It was founded in 1842, funded in large part by Simon of Sina, astronomical observations began in 1847. The headquarters is located on the nymph hill opposite the Acropolis in central Athens.
History
In drawing up the plans of the building, the astronomer and later director of the observatory George Constantin Bouris was involved. With the architectural design Theophil Hansen was commissioned is the first work of the later world-famous architect. After Bouris was seriously ill and the post was only occupied on an interim basis by Ioannis Papadakis, the body has been re-tendered. Appointed in 1858 Johann Friedrich Julius Schmidt as director. In Athens, he remained even after his retirement for the rest of his life. He led at the observatory more than 70,000 observing variable stars through, studied comets and meteors and discovered two supernovae. Schmidt initiated the annals Publications of the Observatory of Athens.
After the middle of the gift of Sina were exhausted, the observatory became the property of the state. 1890, the observatory was organized as a national research center, and expanded departments for Meteorology and Seismology. These were renamed in 1942 to institutions and 1950 extended to an Institute for Ionospheric.
Institute
Since 1999, the following institutions are summarized below:
- Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Observatory Chelmos ( gr Αστεροσκοπείο Χελμού ), houses the 2.3 meter reflecting telescope Aristarchus, named after Aristarchus of Samos. It is located 130 kilometers west of Athens, near the town of Kalavryta (37 ° 59 '8 " N, 22 ° 11' 54" O37.98555555555622.1983333333332340 ) at 2340m.
- Kryoneri Observatory on Mount Kyllini (37 ° 58 ' 19 " N, 22 ° 37 ' 7 " O37.97194444444422.618611111111930 ) at 930 meters altitude, houses a 1.2 meter reflecting telescope