Ankara University's Faculty of Science decided in 1954 to establish an observatory to begin with astronomical studies. Ahlatlıbel in Gölbaşı, Ankara was chosen as the ideal site, a location with dark skies far from the city's downtown to avoid the effects of light pollution, having an average 300 clear nights per year and also offering easy transportation from the campus. It is situated 8 km (5.0 mi) south of Ankara at an altitude of 1,256 m (4,121 ft).[2]
Groundbreaking of the main building and the three domes took place in 1959. The observatory was officially inaugurated on August 26, 1963, accompanied by an international astronomy conference. The scientific studies were carried out in the beginning with a radio telescope produced by the Dutch PTT, a 5 cmastrograph, a 15 cmCoudé telescope of Zeiss from Germany for solar observations, a Hilger and Watts microphotometer and a Cuffey Iris photometer.[2]
Focal plane instruments: Apogee ALTA U47+ CCD camera, 1024x1024 13 micron pixels E2V CCD47-10 back illuminated ccd chip, PC based data acquisition via USB 2.0 port, OPTEC IFW filter wheel (PC controlled), Johnson UBVRI – Strömgren uvbyHbeta – RGB filters, various eye-pieces.
Focal plane instruments : Apogee ALTA U47+ CCD camera, 1024x1024 13 micron pixels E2V CCD47-10 back illuminated ccd chip, PC based data acquisition via USB 2.0 port, OPTEC IFW filter wheel (PC controlled), Johnson UBVRI – Strömgren uvbyHbeta – RGB filters, various eye-pieces.
Installed in the former Maksutov Dome ın 2011, the 356mm telescope is used for observation on binary stars and photoelectric effects of variable stars.[4]
Producer : E. Popp Tele-Optik, Zurich, Switzerland
Focal plane instruments: Optec SSP-5A single channel photoelectric photometer, (containing a Hamamatsu R1414 phototube), standard 1 mm diaphragm, Johnson UBV filters, motorized filter slider, 80386 PC based data acquisition.
300mm telescope for observation on binary stars and photoelectric effects of variable stars.[5]
T15 Coudé telescope
Coudé telescopeCoudé telescope dome
Diameter: 150 mm
Focal ratio: f/15
Focal length: 2,250 mm
Image scale: 92 arcsec/mm
Producer: ZEISS-Oberkochen, Württemberg, Germany
Focal plane instruments: Solar projection lens and screen for Sun spot observations, Contarex photo camera, Lyott H-alpha monochromator, various filters and eye-pieces.
150mm telescope of type Coudé is used for scientific observation of sun spots. Popular and educational public sessions are held also at this telescope.[6]
Other telescopes
For popular and educational activities open to public:[7]
There is a meteorological station for observing atmospheric conditions such as temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed and wind direction as well as precipitation amounts. The gathered data is published also on the internet every five minutes.[9]
The observatory is in Ahlatlıbel on İncek Blvd., at a distance of 2 km (1.2 mi) from Or-An Bridge (Konya Road) and
can be reached by public transportation:
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