Chepelare, Bulgaria: “With the opening of this telescope, the scientists in Bulgaria will fully participate in the research in which other scientists worldwide participate. The Ministry of Education funds the project, that is, by the state. The Bulgarian School of Astronomy deserves such a tool commented mayor Boran Hadzhiev.
It is not often that we find such a national investment in a scientific instrument that gives us new opportunities to explore what is happening in the world, in the nature around us,” the Prime Minister said to the scientific community at the opening of the first Bulgarian robotic telescope.
The AZ 1500 telescope has a 1.5-meter mirror and was made by the Austrian company ASA Astrosysteme GmbH on a project funded by the National Roadmap for Scientific Infrastructure 2020-2027 , coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Science.
Observations of the new facility will be carried out in fully automated mode without the presence of an operator required. The telescope’s optical system consists of three mirrors with a highly-precise computerized guiding system, which excludes deviations and the need for further adjustments.
“We need to explain to the public why the state is investing millions in a new telescope in an observatory like this one. Protected by our city walls, we forget that the first humans, with their entire beings, felt dependent on astronomical phenomena. So astronomy isn’t the science of stars that are far away, astronomy and astrophysics are the sciences that determine the entire environment in which we live”.
“Overview abstract science, astronomy, and astrophysics these days should show us how to reduce these risks. Let’s find out whether global warming is related to the sun’s activity or, to a large extent, human activity,” the prime minister said.
“This is a project that has been implemented entirely with national funding. The ministry has invested 6.8 million. Lv. It is now not only a national but also a regional entity. The National Astronomical Observatory (NAO) “Rozhen” was visited by 4000 students. More than one-third of the visitors are students.
In the new national program “Educational Routes”, the NAO is included as one of the critical sites,” said the Minister of Education and Science, Prof. Galin Tsokov.
The chairman of the BAN Acad was present at the opening. Julian Revalski, regional and municipal leaders, learned from Bulgaria and Serbia.