Penteli Observatory: Difference between revisions
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The '''Penteli Observatory''' is an [[astronomical]] [[Observatory|obseratory]] in [[Penteli, Greece|Penteli]], [[Greece]], operated by the [[National Observatory of Athens]]. It most known for housing the historic [[Newall Refractor]], which used to be the largest telescope in the world before its move there. From 1959 to 1980 it was a major site for scientific research, though since then it has been facing severe [[light pollution]] problems resulting in its gradual conversion into a [[public observatory]], especialy after the establishment of the Visitor Center there in 1995. |
The '''Penteli Observatory''' is an [[astronomical]] [[Observatory|obseratory]] in [[Penteli, Greece|Penteli]], [[Greece]], operated by the [[National Observatory of Athens]]. It is most known for housing the historic [[Newall Refractor]], which used to be the largest telescope in the world before its move there. From 1959 to 1980 it was a major site for scientific research, though since then it has been facing severe [[light pollution]] problems resulting in its gradual conversion into a [[public observatory]], especialy after the establishment of the Visitor Center there in 1995. |
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== History == |
== History == |
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Revision as of 15:12, 26 October 2024
 The Penteli Observatoey seen from a distance | |
| Organization | National Observatory of Athens |
|---|---|
| Location | Koufos hill, Penteli, Attica, Greece |
| Coordinates | 38°02′52″N 23°51′52″E / 38.0479°N 23.8644°E |
| Altitude | 500 meters (1,600 feet) |
| Established | 1937 |
| Website | www |
| Architect | B. Kassandras |
  Location of Penteli Observatory | |
The Penteli Observatory is an astronomical obseratory in Penteli, Greece, operated by the National Observatory of Athens. It is most known for housing the historic Newall Refractor, which used to be the largest telescope in the world before its move there. From 1959 to 1980 it was a major site for scientific research, though since then it has been facing severe light pollution problems resulting in its gradual conversion into a public observatory, especialy after the establishment of the Visitor Center there in 1995.
History
Backround and early years
During the decade of 1930, Stavros Plakidis, then director of the National Observatory Athens, made great efforts to relocate the observatory from its central premises in Thiseio. That location had been selected by Eduard Schaubert almost a century earlier, when light pollution still was not very notable in Athens. Plakidis decided that the Koufos hill in Penteli, on the side of Mount Pentelicus at an altitude of 500 metres (1,600 ft), was a more suitable location.[1] An important factor was also its proximity to Athens, being about 18 kilometres (11 mi) away from the city centre.[2]
Plakidis started making observations there in 1936 [1] and the Penteli Astronomical Station was founded in 1937.[3] It was equipped with multiple telescopes and other astronomical and meteorological instruments. However, during the Axis occupation of Greece in World War II that started a few years after its establishment, the station was underperforming, being used only for the collection of meteorological data and the scarse conduction of astronomical observations. The Germans requisitioned the Penteli Astronomical Station and erected a communications station on the Koufos hill, which later brought electricity up to the observatory. During the requisition, all the instruments were tranfered to the Laboratory of Astronomy of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens or to the central premises of the National Observatory of Athens.[3] After the end of the occupation, the station remained a minor observatory for more than a decade.[1]
After the relocation of the Newall Telescope
In 1955 the National Observatory of Athens showed interest for the Newall Telescope, which was then located in the Cambridge Observatory that had decided that it would donate it. In the same year, a team of scientists visited the telescope and concluded that they would accept the donation. A deal was made in 1957,[4] in which the long collaboration between Stavros Plakidis and Arthur Eddington played a crusial role.[5] The construction of a building to house the telescope started in 1957.[4] The selected material was pentelic merble and a 14 metres (46 ft) in diameter dome was placed on top of it. Its floor's height was designed to be adjustable, being able to move vertically for approximately 5 metres (16 ft).[6] The telescope was relocated there in 1959 [7] and it was the largest telescope in Greece until 1975,[2] when a 1.23 meters reflector was installed in the Kryoneri Observatory.
The Newall Telescope was used solely for scietific observations until 1980, when the light pollution in the area started causing severe problems.[1] In 1995 the Visitor Center was established in the Penteli Observatory, repurposing the telescope for science communication. The Visitor Center is operated by the Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing,[8] while the observatory is also hosting the Institute for Enviromental Research and Sustainable Development.[9] Both are indepentant institutes of the National Observatory of Athens.[10]
During the 2024 Attica wildfires
During the 2024 Attica wilfires part of Mount Pentelicus was burnt and the fire almost reached the Penteli Observatory. In August, the fire was spreading towards the observatory and the building was evacuated. The flames entered the observatory's yard and they were put out by the firefighters just a few meters away from the main building.[11]
The Newall Telescope
The Newall Telescope is the main instrument of the observatory since its relocation there in 1959,[7] and it was the largest telescope in Greece for 16 years.[2] It is was build in 1869 by Thomas Cooke for Robert Stirling Newall and at that time it was the largest telescope in the world. Before its relocation to the Penteli Observatory, it used to be located in the Cambridge Observatory and before that it was located in Newall's private observatory in Gateshead.[2] It is a 9 metres (30 ft) long refractor that has lenses with a diameter of 62.5 centimetres (24.6 in). It is used with three finderscopes, two of which have a 10 centimetres (3.9 in) diameter and the third one a has a diameter of 15 centimetres (5.9 in). The telescope is placed on top a German equatorial mount.[4] It is equipped with an astrographic camera, a spectrometer, an illuminometer, a polarimeter and other instuments.[7]
Visitor Center
The Visitor Center was established in 1995 and it is operated by the Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing. Its aim is to offer science education and public outreach mainly to middle school and high school students. At the Visitor Center, special seminars and talks are taking place and it is also producing documentaries that are presented to the visitors. Most tours also invlude observations through the Newall Telescope.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d Κλάδης, Άγγελος (2024-08-13). "Η ιστορία πίσω από το Αστεροσκοπείο Πεντέλης που παραλίγο να καεί". Oneman.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ a b c d "Κέντρο Επισκεπτών Πεντέλης". ΙΑΑΔΕΤ (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ a b Plakidis, Stavros (1946). "Astronomy in Greece during the War". The Observatory. 66: 298–299. Bibcode:1946Obs....66..298P – via NASA Astrophysics Data System.
- ^ a b c "Newall Refractor | The Hellenic Archives of Scientific Instruments". www.hasi.gr. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ Hutchins, Roger (2017-03-02). British University Observatories 1772–1939. Routledge. p. 296. ISBN 978-1-351-95452-5.
- ^ Akrivaki, Voula (2021-11-13). "Nighttime gatherings at the National Observatory of Athens". travel.gr. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ a b c "Τηλεσκόπιο Newall". Athens College (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ a b "Penteli Visitor Center". National Observatory of Athens. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "Premises – Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development". www.iersd.noa.gr. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "Institutes". National Observatory of Athens. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "Φωτιά στην Αττική: Σώθηκε τελευταία στιγμή το Αστεροσκοπείο Πεντέλης". CNN.gr (in Greek). 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-10-26.