Dushanbe Observatory

The Dushanbe Observatory traces its roots to the birth of professional astronomy in Tajikistan, in the city that was once called Stalinabad and is now the country's capital.

History

Astronomy in Tajikistan began formally with the Tajik Astronomical Observatory (TAO), established on 13 November 1932 by decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the Tajik SSR. As the capital's name changed, the institution became the Stalinabad Astronomical Observatory (SAO) in 1948, and on 17 January 1958 it was transformed into the Institute of Astrophysics of the Academy of Sciences of the Tajik SSR, now the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan. The observatory has a notable place in Cold War-era space history: it recorded the first successful observations of Sputnik 1 on 4 October 1957. In recognition of the institute's work, several minor planets have been named Tajikistan and GisAO, along with others honouring its leading scientists.

Telescopes & research

The Institute of Astrophysics that grew out of the Dushanbe observatory now oversees related facilities in the country, including the Gissar Astronomical Observatory and the Sanglokh International Astronomical Observatory.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, in Central Asia.

Visiting Dushanbe Observatory

For visitors interested in Tajik astronomy, the tour operator Astroekspursiya offers stargazing and astronomy education sessions using modern telescopes in the country. Check current availability and access details before travelling, since the historic observatory itself functions primarily as a research institute.

See your named star from here

Astronomers in Dushanbe have been tracking precise sky coordinates since the days of Sputnik, so it's fitting territory for locating a named star by its exact right ascension and declination. Find yours in our star catalogue.