The Nasir al-Din al-Tusi Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory is an observatory located in Shamakhi, Azerbaijan, on the south-eastern foothills of the Great Caucasus Mountain ridge, on the basis of “Astrophysics” sector of Physics Institution of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, about 22 km far from the centre of Shamakhi and 144 km far from Baku, at an altitude of 1,435 m. Construction of the observatory began in 1958 in then Azerbaijan SSR and officially opened on January 13, 1960.
In 1991, the observatory was given a name of Nasiraddin Tusi – mathematician, physic and astronomer of medieval ages. A township for habitation of workers was established ynder the observatory and it was named after Yusif mammadaliyev (Pirgulu).
Since September, 2008 capital repair, construction works and modernization of scientific and technical equipment of Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory began.
During the Soviet period, the observatory measured the light polarization of Comet d'Arrest.
Telescopes
The main instrument – reflecting telescope produced in Germany, with diameter of mirror of 2 meters and which was turned over for operation in 1966 and which is the first big telescope of the South Caucasus.
Besides that, the following instruments are also used in the observatory:
- Horizontal solar horoscope with a diameter of the main mirror of 50 cm, for spectral investigations of solar atmosphere;
- A chromospheric and photospheric AFR-2 telescope with dimensions of 20/13 cm, used for needs in solar service;
- AZT-8 reflector with diameter of a mirror of 70 cm;
- Reflector by Carl Zeiss company, with diameter of a mirror of 60 cm;
- Meniscus telescope of Maksutov’s system, equipped with a lens prism, with the diameter of inlet port of 35 cm.
There is Batabat Astrophysical Observatory in Bataban Mountain, located at a height of 2300 meters, which was established in 1971 and where functions a big solar Lyot coronograph with diameter of a mirror of 53 meters, 70 centimeter Luny-Planetary telescope, Zeiss-600, and also FAS-ZA and wide-angle astrographic camera for expedition.
