The Astronomical Observatory celebrated its 100th anniversary of institutional independence on the last weekend of June. To mark this significant milestone in the institution's history, a conference was held at the observatory's premises, featuring a series of thematic lectures.
The conference, titled "One Hundred Years of Institutional Independence of the Astronomical Observatory," took place in Belgrade on June 27 and 28, 2024, at the observatory's library located at Volgina 7.
The event covered the history of this important institution, its transformations, and its development path since its founding, through the challenges of wartime, to the era of modern science. Discussions also included the observatory as an ambient entity that combines science, architecture, and nature, the challenges of contemporary conservation of its complex, and the now iconic tradition of the observatory's Open Door Days.
As Serbia's most important astronomical institution, widely recognized by Belgrade residents as the namesake of the entire Zvezdara area, the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade has not always been an independent entity. It was officially established in 1887 as the Astronomical and Meteorological Observatory. It was not until a century ago, in 1924, by the decision of the Council of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Belgrade, that these two sciences were allowed to separate into two distinct departments and observatories.
The conference aimed to elaborate on the historical circumstances that led to the formation of these two significant scientific institutions from one, while also highlighting the accelerated development in the fields of astronomy and meteorology that this separation triggered.
The conference proceedings will be published in a collection titled "One Hundred Years of Institutional Independence of the Astronomical Observatory" and will be available this fall.
A richly designed two-day program, along with more information about the conference can be found at this link.
Today, the Astronomical Observatory represents a vital accredited scientific institution engaged in research in astronomy, astrophysics, and related sciences. In addition to its facilities and pavilions in Belgrade, in the Zvezdara municipality, the institution also includes the Vidojevica Astronomical Station, located on the mountain of the same name near Prokuplje.
Apart from its scientific sector, organized into research groups, the observatory includes two specialized research units, a library, as well as general, legal, and financial services.
