Moreover, it was on this night that the Earth flew through the Geminids meteor shower. True, I never managed to catch them, but the stars themselves were good!

1. Here is a photograph where the satellite tracks are visible.



2. The Parus rock is visible below. We'll go down closer.

3. In 1927, an earthquake occurred on the Crimean peninsula, and then a small part broke off from Cape Limen-Burun, which became the Parus rock. Finally, “Parus” became a separate rock, surrounded on all sides by the Black Sea waters after the destruction of the isthmus that connected the rock to the shore. The Parus rock is located next to the Swallow's Nest.

4. And here you can see the Milky Way above the rocks.

5. Now we are already on the shore.

7. Here either a satellite or a meteor flies through the Pleiades.

11. While we moved to Mount Cat, Orion rose above the horizon. This is a complex natural monument of national importance, located on the southern coast of Crimea on the territory of the Yalta City Council (Crimea).

Have you already visited all the Crimean palaces? Did you swim in the sea and jump off the slides in the water parks? Have you talked to the charming residents of the Yalta Zoo? Did you walk along a dangerous path? It's time to explore excursions that take place on routes that are not so popular among tourists. One of them will be a visit to the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory.

Where is it located: urban-type settlement Nauchny, Bakhchisarai district.

How to get there: from Simferopol from the Zapadnaya bus station to the village of Nauchny, regular buses and minibuses run every hour. Four times a day you can take buses to and from the observatory from Bakhchisarai.

What is the best time to visit?: the best time is late spring, summer or autumn, since the territory near the observatory is large and walking around it in the rain and wind is unpleasant. To look at the stars, it is important to plan the weather: for an excursion to the Crimean Observatory you need to gather in cloudless weather (check the weather forecast in the Bakhchisarai region in advance). Another feature: during the full moon, nebulae and star clusters are illuminated by the Moon. The best time for observations is the first quarter.


It is located at an altitude of 600 m above sea level in the village of Nauchny, next to the Crimean Nature Reserve. The observatory is not only interesting, but also a full-fledged scientific center, conducting research using modern equipment. Astrophysicists conduct research in a wide spectral range of electromagnetic radiation from artificial Earth satellites and small bodies of the Solar System to extragalactic formations. You can learn about the work of scientists and see how distant galaxies appear in telescopes on an excursion to the Crimean Observatory.

Nikolai Maltsov started astrophysical research in Crimea. A lover of astronomy, he founded a private observatory on Mount Koshka (near Simeiz), which he later transferred to the Pulkovo Observatory. Even before the Great Patriotic War, studies of the photometry of stars and small planets were carried out here. During the war, the Simeiz observatory was destroyed, and the telescopes were taken to Germany.

In 1945, it was decided to establish a new laboratory in central Crimea, whose climate is better suited for the operation of large telescopes. The location was chosen taking into account long-term observations of the Pulkovo Observatory: it was here that the best transparency of the atmosphere and the largest number of sunny days were noted. Another factor was the distance from industrial enterprises. An amazingly beautiful plateau, rising above the vast forests not far from the lilac peaks of Chatyr-Dag, has become the “home” of the new Crimean Astrophysical Laboratory.


In the 40-50s, active work was carried out to equip the research center with equipment. It was here that a large solar telescope was installed, the largest in the USSR and Europe at that time. Several telescopes with concave mirrors from the famous Zeiss company also appeared in Crimea. In 1954, an out-of-eclipse coronagraph was installed, and at the same time construction began on a tower with a reflecting telescope named after Academician G.A. Shaina with a diameter of 2.6 m.

Scientific research

As you can read on the website of the Crimean Observatory, scientists working here have made a great contribution to the study of physical processes on the Sun, in particular, magnetic fields and flares. They discovered more than 1.5 thousand asteroids, a huge number of variable stars, and three comets. It was Crimean scientists who discovered volcanic phenomena on the Moon and the phenomenon of pulsation of the Sun.

Today at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, scientists work in six departments - solar physics, radio astronomy, gamma astronomy, experimental astrophysics, optical production and physics of stars and galaxies. The main areas of research are solar activity, the structure and chemical composition of stellar atmospheres, their magnetic fields, gamma-ray astronomy, and helioseismology. In addition, scientists are developing new generation telescopes, researching asteroids and planets, etc.


Excursion to the Crimean Observatory

Excursions to the Crimean Observatory are organized all year round, although not regularly. Before going to the village of Nauchny, be sure to contact the administration by phone:

  • 7-978-806-13-74;
  • 7-978-893-54-11.

Excursions to the Crimean Observatory are conducted both during the day and in the evening. In principle, you can come in any weather - just look at the Sun or the Moon and the stars; if there are clouds in the sky, you won’t be able to - you will have to limit yourself to examining the telescopes and the pictures they took. That is why, when planning a trip to Nauchny, it is better to check the weather forecast and check with the guides whether there are any clouds directly above the observatory.


In the evening, excursions to the Crimean Observatory begin at sunset, so the exact time needs to be checked. For example, in July-August you will need to arrive by 7:30 p.m., and in September - by 7:00 p.m.

The ticket price for an excursion to the Crimean Observatory is 300 rubles for adults and 150 for children. There are several other important points that will be useful to tourists:

  • In order for the stars to be better visible, the territory of the Crimean Observatory is very dimly lit, so it is advisable to take a flashlight with you.
  • Dress warmly. The village of Nauchny is located on a hill, so the temperature here is 4-5 degrees lower than on the South Coast or in Sevastopol.
  • Be sure to bring money for souvenirs! You will not buy such unique things as from the Crimean Observatory anywhere else.

      Tourists and excursionists who get acquainted with the southern landscapes, the majestic sea, history and sights of the sunny peninsula are given the opportunity to get acquainted with the beautiful sky of Crimea, with its bright stars.
      Summer evening. South Coast. In the northwest, the well-known Ursa Major is visible above the mountains. This noticeable “seven-star” formation has long served as a guide for travelers and sailors. Obviously, this is why different peoples of the world have created so many legends about Ursa Major.
      In Ukraine, the Big Dipper is more often called Voz. And if from the “star wheels” of Voz - two bright stars - we measure five distances between them to the north, then we will get exactly to the Polar Star Ursa Minor. At Polyarnaya there is the North Pole of the World, around which the vault of heaven revolves.
      On the slightly curved downward continuation of the “drawbar” of Voz, you will meet a bright star. This is Arcturus, the first star of the constellation Bootes.
      On the opposite side of the sky, in the northeast, 5 bright stars are visible, grouped in the form of an inverted letter “M”. This is the constellation Cassiopeia. To the north of it are the faint stars Cepheus. But underneath it, the Andromeda constellation is clearly visible, which became famous because of the Andromeda Nebula, the closest galaxy to us. Andromeda is adjacent to Perseus - to the east of it - and Pegasus - to the southwest.
      The most remarkable thing in the sky of Crimea is the “summer triangle”. It is formed by the three brightest stars: Vega from the constellation Lyra, Deneb from the constellation Cygnus and Altair from the constellation Aquila. Vega is located near the zenith, to the east of it is Deneb, to the south is Altair. Numerous legends and myths are dedicated to these constellations.
      For the ancient Greeks, the will of the gods was proclaimed by the eagle. One of the most beautiful constellations over Crimea is dedicated to him. The Heavenly Eagle, spreading its wings, “flies” along the Milky Way. Low above the horizon, the Milky Way “crosses” the zodiac constellation Sagittarius. He is associated with the good centaur Pholus, a friend of Hercules. By the way, in the summer sky of Crimea, next to Lyra, you can see the vast, but without bright stars, constellation Hercules.
      West of Sagittarius stands out the zodiac constellation Scorpio with the bright red star Antares, very similar in color to the planet Mars. Antares means “rival of Mars.”
      The Dragon, the cruel guardian of countless treasures and star diamonds, is wriggling exactly at the zenith. The ancient Greeks recognized the Dragon as the serpent Ladon, who guarded the golden apples in the divine garden of Hera in the Atlas Mountains.

The sky of Crimea is very different from the one you are used to seeing above your head. On the territory of Crimea, four constellations of the southern sky are clearly visible: Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn and Aquarius, which are not visible from other regions of the country. This is so not only because Crimea is located noticeably to the south of most other regions of Russia. In Crimea, especially on the coast, there is no sky illumination from city lights, which is a big nuisance in large cities. In addition, the constellations of the summer sky are almost impossible to observe in the northern regions of Russia due to the period of white nights.

Let's talk a little about those stars that you don't see at home. Let's start with a constellation called Capricorn. The constellation Capricorn depicts a mythical creature, a hybrid of a goat and a fish, which has a goat's beard and a fish-like tail covered with scales. The constellation Capricorn has not very expressive outlines. But it does have two bright stars: ά and β Capricorn. If you look at these stars through a telescope, you can see that they are double stars and are slowly moving apart in different directions.

In the constellation Sagittarius the centaur Chiron is depicted. A centaur is a hero of ancient Greek myths, half horse and half man. It is curious that the coordinates of the core of our galaxy coincide with the coordinates of this constellation. The galactic core is a massive collection of stars. It is shrouded in clouds of dark dusty matter that blocks visible light. It is very interesting to find that part of the sky where the brightest part of our galaxy is hidden behind dark dust. If there were no star dust, then this core would be the brightest luminary after the Sun, and would occupy an area in the sky hundreds of times larger than the entire visible area of ​​the full Moon.

Next constellation - Scorpion. There is an ancient legend about Phaeton, the son of the sun god, who died because of disobedience to his father. According to legend, it was the heavenly Scorpio that frightened Phaeton, thereby causing his death. The main star of Scorpio is called Antares. And the word Ares, which includes the names ά Scorpio, means Mars in Greek. This bright star really resembles the planet Mars in its color. But Mars, like all planets, shines evenly, without flickering. As for Antares, this star's proximity to the horizon causes it to twinkle strongly. Antares is a red giant. Only 700 suns could create the same flux of radiation that Antares alone emits. A beam of light needs to travel 173 years to travel from Antares to Earth.

New stars often flare up in Scorpio. One of them, which broke out in 143 BC. e., prompted the ancient Greek astronomer Hipparchus to compile a census of the stars - the world's first star catalog. The star β Scorpii is a multiple, consisting of four stars. In general, the constellation Scorpio, like the constellation Sagittarius, is very rich in star clusters.

And finally, the last constellation, which is called Aquarius. Among the ancient Sumerians, Aquarius was one of the most important and sacred constellations, since it personified the sky god An, who gives life-giving water to the earth. That's why it was called the "great constellation." According to the Greeks, Aquarius depicts several mythical characters at once, for example, Ganymede, the Trojan youth who became a cupbearer on Olympus; Deucalion, the hero of the Flood, and Cecrops, the ancient king of Athens. Aquarius has a unique planetary nebula, the brightest and largest of all known. When observed through a telescope, a bright, somewhat flattened disk is visible. This enormous nebula is illuminated by the hottest known star, with a surface temperature of approximately 130,000 Kelvin.

We hope that now you will not forget to raise your head up on one of the dark and warm Crimean evenings and independently look for the stars and constellations we have described in the clear Crimean sky.

Based on the book by Yu. Siegel “Treasures of the Starry Sky”

The other day I arrived from Crimea, where I took part in the astronomical festival Southern Nights 2015.
I flew to Simferopol from Kazan at a reduced price, and back at the full price. I have already visited Crimea twice, when it was still Ukrainian.
It was interesting to compare what was and what became, but in this post we will only talk about astronomy - no politics!
The plane landed at Simferopol airport amid thunder and lightning strikes. Crimea greeted my mother and me with tears...
Upon arrival at the KRAO radio observatory in Katsiveli, the traditional venue for the “sea part” of the festival, we had to wait 4 days for good weather. The first two days it rained continuously, it was cold at night and cool during the day.
For the next two days, such a strong wind blew that one festival participant from Moscow had her camera and tripod blown away (thank Heaven, the camera and optics survived), and an astronomy enthusiast from Kharkov had a fairly large telescope knocked to the ground.

But Crimea finally turned to face us: the wind calmed down, the sky cleared of clouds, the water in the sea began to warm before our eyes.

Unlike 2009 and 2011, there were half as many people at the festival. The almost complete absence of astronomy lovers from Ukraine and the difficulties with the arrival of Russians in Crimea had an impact. I hope this is still temporary, because the starry sky above your head is eternal!

I brought with me in my backpack my new “flight setup” - a Canon 6D with a 24-105 1/4L lens and an astro tracker SW Star Adventurer, but I managed to use the entire setup only once - on the last evening of my stay in Crimea (photos of the Milky Way over I’ll process it by sea and post it when I’ve sorted things out). Luna interfered. If it is in the sky, then it makes no sense to shoot anything other than lunar landscapes with a wide-angle camera at night.
I managed to see the giant Fujinon astrobinoculars specially brought from Moscow, each worth more than a million rubles, but they never saw the starry sky. Next time.

I had to ask festival organizer Andrei Ostapenko for a tripod head (thank him with all my heart), and devote evenings in Crimea to mastering the art of shooting astro-landscapes. I tried to capture the moon, stars, sea, mountains, clouds, telescopes and people...

Whether I did it well or not is up to you, dear visitors of my blog, to judge!

The two most memorable phenomena that I managed to capture were the snake-like cloud that appeared over Mount Koshka and for several days, rotating around its axis, crawled towards Yalta, never descending to us in the Blue Bay, and... the conjunction of Venus with Jupiter. I managed to observe and capture the second phenomenon using Andrei Ostapenko’s 11-inch telescope (I’ll process the pictures and post them a little later). I have never seen two of the brightest planets in the solar system so close in the sky. Through the telescope they were visible in the same field of view of the eyepiece!

One evening Andrey and I decided to shoot Saturn with his 11-inch Celestron. We spent half the night adjusting the focus with an electric focuser and taking 3000-frame videos with the QHY color planetary camera. Then we tried to put together the videos in the Registax program. It was very entertaining and useful to learn the intricacies of planetary astrophotography with an expert and a good setup. And what views there were at 11 inches!

Once I went to Mount Cat to photograph Blue Bay on a moonlit night. The hike was not without incident. On the road I met a man on a scooter who stopped on purpose and began to wonder what I was doing, while asking stupid questions like “is it possible to drive further along this road” or “I’ve always wondered if it’s possible to film a person’s face at night” . Having patiently answered his questions, I decided to say goodbye to him, but he turned the scooter back and drove towards Simeiz. At the turn I stopped in front of a crowd of men. They listened to music, drank, smoked and talked loudly. A man with a motor scooter was heatedly explaining something to them. I placed a camera on the edge of the cliff and, accompanied by these sounds, calmly took a series of shots of the Blue Bay. It turns out that it was an evening party under the blue moon, for which Simeiz is famous. It’s good that no one chased me on the way back.

The lunar path, a distant thunderstorm over the sea, the stars over the mountains, Venus and Jupiter almost merging together above the RT-22 radio telescope are forever imprinted in the memory and in the photographs. All this is a must see at least once in your life! I wish the same for you!

Thanks to the organizers and all participants for the sincere communication under the sky of Crimea!