On December 16, 2025, the Main Astronomical Observatory of the NAS of Ukraine was visited on a working visit by a delegation of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine led by the academic secretary of the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the NAS of Ukraine, academician Mykhailo Bondar, with the participation of staff from the Presidium of the NAS of Ukraine.
The visit was aimed at a comprehensive familiarization with the research potential of the Observatory, the state of its infrastructure, and the determination of priorities for further development in the face of modern challenges.
Opening the meeting, the director of the Main Astronomical Observatory of the NAS of Ukraine, academician Yaroslav Yatskiv, informed the guests about the history of the institution’s formation, its role within the structure of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and its significance for the development of domestic and global astronomy. The report emphasized the Observatory’s personnel potential, key areas of fundamental research, the state of the material and technical base, the Observatory’s participation in targeted and competitive programs of the NAS of Ukraine, projects of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine, and international scientific initiatives. Current problematic issues and strategic prospects for institutional development were outlined separately.
During the visit, the academic secretary familiarized himself with the work of the scientific departments and laboratories of the Observatory, where fundamental research is conducted in the fields of modern astrometry and space geodynamics, physics of the Sun and the Solar System, astrophysics of stars and galaxies, extragalactic astronomy and astroinformatics, as well as developments in astronomical and space instrumentation.
An important part of the working program was thematic presentations by the heads of the Observatory’s scientific units, who presented the current state and key results of their research. The head of the Department of Atmospheric Optics and Instrumentation, Candidate of Technical Sciences Ivan Synyavskyi, gave a report on the department’s activities. He highlighted the results of research on physical processes in the atmosphere, the development of astronomical instruments for ground-based and space-based applications, as well as the department’s participation in the international AERONET network and the implementation of applied projects aimed at monitoring the state of the atmosphere and the environment.
The scientific achievements of the Department of Physics of Stars and Galaxies were reported by the head of the department, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Peter Bertsik. The report presented results of modern astrophysical research related to the evolution of stars, star clusters, and galaxies, numerical modeling of complex astrophysical processes, as well as the active participation of the department’s staff in international observational and theoretical projects.
A substantive report on the activities of the Department of Extragalactic Astronomy and Astroinformatics was delivered by the head of the department, Corresponding Member of the NAS of Ukraine Irina Vavilova. She presented research results on the large-scale structure of the Universe and the search for Milky Way analog galaxies, emphasizing the application of modern information technologies and methods of analyzing large data sets in contemporary astrophysics.
A logical continuation of the fundamental research theme was the presentation by the representative of the Department of Space Geodynamics and Astrometry, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Petro Lazorenko, who presented results of high-precision astrometric observations on large telescopes located in Chile, as well as a unique method he proposed together with colleagues for recognizing binary star systems based on image analysis and positional measurements, which opens new opportunities for studying stellar populations and the dynamics of star systems.
During the review of the research infrastructure, the academic secretary, together with the Observatory’s leadership, visited specialized observational complexes that play a key role in implementing fundamental astronomical programs. In particular, the operation of the 70-centimeter AZT-2 reflector telescope was demonstrated — one of the Observatory’s first astrophysical instruments, which is still used for photometric, spectral, and polarimetric observations of celestial objects and is gradually being modernized for high-precision measurements and the testing of modern astrophysical methods.
Special attention during the visit was given to the Ernest Hurtovenko horizontal solar telescope — a specialized instrument for studying physical processes in the solar atmosphere, which holds significant scientific and historical value for the Main Astronomical Observatory. The telescope enables the implementation of a long-term program of high-resolution spectral and spectropolarimetric observations of the Sun’s photosphere and chromosphere, which are necessary for analyzing magnetic structure, plasma dynamics, and manifestations of solar activity, as well as for studying the mechanisms of space weather formation and its impact on the near-Earth environment.
During the interaction with the scientific team of the Observatory, issues of state certification of the institution, financial support for fundamental research, and the stability of their execution in the face of modern challenges were discussed. In this context, prospects for the development of the Mykolaiv Astronomical Observatory, which recently became part of the Main Astronomical Observatory of the NAS of Ukraine, were also considered. Emphasis was placed on the importance of comprehensive integration of the scientific, personnel, and infrastructural potential of both institutions, preservation and further development of the observational base of the Mykolaiv Observatory, as well as expanding its participation in general academic and international scientific programs.
Summarizing the visit, the academic secretary of the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the NAS of Ukraine, academician Mykhailo Bondar, noted the high scientific level of the presented research, their correspondence to modern global trends in astronomy development, and the significant contribution of the Main Astronomical Observatory of the NAS of Ukraine to the development of international scientific cooperation. The participants of the meeting discussed key directions for the Observatory’s further development, including updating scientific infrastructure, expanding participation in international projects, training young scientists, and strengthening scientific-educational and outreach activities.
Photo: Press Service of the NAS of Ukraine
Information from the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the NAS of Ukraine
