Astronomical Society Ruđer Bošković
Encyclopedia
Astronomical Society Ruđer Bošković is an astronomical society
in Belgrade
, Serbia
. Founded in 1934 by a group of students, it is the oldest one in the Balkans
. Initially having only several members, today it gathers more than 700 astronomy lovers. It is named after Ruđer Bošković.
The main role of the Society is popularisation of astronomy. The Society also practices amateur astronomy
observations. To accomplish this, in 1964, the Society founded the Public Observatory, which is still located in adapted Despot's Tower in Kalemegdan
, Belgrade. The Belgrade Planetarium
, one of the only two planetariums in Serbia, is also founded by the society, in 1970. It is located in the lower part of Kalemegdan Fortress, in a former Turkish bath. The Society publishes a popular science magazine called Vasiona since 1953.
and astronomy popularization. Before the World War II, the Society published magazine Saturn
, organized popular lectures and few observation trips. Thanks to the Society's efforts, the translation of the book Stars and Atoms by sir Arthur Eddington was published. All activities in Society were banned by during the German occupation in 1941.
Society continued its work in 1953 as the Astronomical Society Ruđer Bošković and has begun to publish magazine Vasiona. Publication of books was also one of the Society's main activities: Ruđer Bošković's Eclipses of the Sun and the Moon (translated and commented by Nenad Janković) was published.
In 1964 Society has established the Public Observatory, located in the Despot's Tower in Kalemegdan
. At the terace of Observatory a Zeiss refracting telescope (110/200) is placed. The Society also got a planetarium ZKP-2 in 1970 and opened the Belgrade Planetarium
with diametar of 8 m and 80 seats. Planetarium is mainly visited by the students of primary and high schools.
During the 60s, 70s and 80s amateur astronomical observations of the Sun
, occultation
s, binary
and variable star
s and planet
ary phenomena were regular. Too much light pollution around the Observatory in the last 5–10 years has limited Society's activities mainly on theoretical works and application of computers in astronomy. Every year Society organizes a few courses for the popularization of astronomy, like: the Astronomy Course for beginners held two times annually, Belgrade Astronomy Weekend (BAW) in June which consists of several lectures on different topics and Summer Astronomical Gatherings in August and September with several lectures on similar topic. All courses are held in the Society's planetarium.
Astronomical society
There are numerous groups devoted to promoting astronomy research and education. See, for example:* Amateur Astronomers Association Delhi * Amateur Astronomers Association of New York * Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh...
in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. Founded in 1934 by a group of students, it is the oldest one in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. Initially having only several members, today it gathers more than 700 astronomy lovers. It is named after Ruđer Bošković.
The main role of the Society is popularisation of astronomy. The Society also practices amateur astronomy
Amateur astronomy
Amateur astronomy, also called backyard astronomy and stargazing, is a hobby whose participants enjoy watching the night sky , and the plethora of objects found in it, mainly with portable telescopes and binoculars...
observations. To accomplish this, in 1964, the Society founded the Public Observatory, which is still located in adapted Despot's Tower in Kalemegdan
Kalemegdan
Belgrade Fortress , represent old citadel and Kalemegdan Park on the confluence of the River Sava and Danube, in an urban area of modern Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Stari Grad...
, Belgrade. The Belgrade Planetarium
Belgrade Planetarium
Belgrade Planetarium is one of two planetariums in Serbia. It is operated by the Astronomical Society Ruđer Bošković.- History :The planetarium's instrument, little Zeiss's planetarium ZKP-2...
, one of the only two planetariums in Serbia, is also founded by the society, in 1970. It is located in the lower part of Kalemegdan Fortress, in a former Turkish bath. The Society publishes a popular science magazine called Vasiona since 1953.
History
A group of students at the Belgrade University back at the 1934 decided to form an astronomical society focused on amateur observationsAmateur astronomy
Amateur astronomy, also called backyard astronomy and stargazing, is a hobby whose participants enjoy watching the night sky , and the plethora of objects found in it, mainly with portable telescopes and binoculars...
and astronomy popularization. Before the World War II, the Society published magazine Saturn
Saturn (magazine)
Saturn was a short-lived bi-monthly, digest sized science fiction magazine published by Candar Publishing out of New York. It produced only five issues from 1957 to 1958 as a science fiction magazine before changing to a detective magazine and then to a horror magazine specializing in weird...
, organized popular lectures and few observation trips. Thanks to the Society's efforts, the translation of the book Stars and Atoms by sir Arthur Eddington was published. All activities in Society were banned by during the German occupation in 1941.
Society continued its work in 1953 as the Astronomical Society Ruđer Bošković and has begun to publish magazine Vasiona. Publication of books was also one of the Society's main activities: Ruđer Bošković's Eclipses of the Sun and the Moon (translated and commented by Nenad Janković) was published.
In 1964 Society has established the Public Observatory, located in the Despot's Tower in Kalemegdan
Kalemegdan
Belgrade Fortress , represent old citadel and Kalemegdan Park on the confluence of the River Sava and Danube, in an urban area of modern Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Stari Grad...
. At the terace of Observatory a Zeiss refracting telescope (110/200) is placed. The Society also got a planetarium ZKP-2 in 1970 and opened the Belgrade Planetarium
Belgrade Planetarium
Belgrade Planetarium is one of two planetariums in Serbia. It is operated by the Astronomical Society Ruđer Bošković.- History :The planetarium's instrument, little Zeiss's planetarium ZKP-2...
with diametar of 8 m and 80 seats. Planetarium is mainly visited by the students of primary and high schools.
During the 60s, 70s and 80s amateur astronomical observations of the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
, occultation
Occultation
An occultation is an event that occurs when one object is hidden by another object that passes between it and the observer. The word is used in astronomy . It can also refer to any situation wherein an object in the foreground blocks from view an object in the background...
s, binary
Binary star
A binary star is a star system consisting of two stars orbiting around their common center of mass. The brighter star is called the primary and the other is its companion star, comes, or secondary...
and variable star
Variable star
A star is classified as variable if its apparent magnitude as seen from Earth changes over time, whether the changes are due to variations in the star's actual luminosity, or to variations in the amount of the star's light that is blocked from reaching Earth...
s and planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
ary phenomena were regular. Too much light pollution around the Observatory in the last 5–10 years has limited Society's activities mainly on theoretical works and application of computers in astronomy. Every year Society organizes a few courses for the popularization of astronomy, like: the Astronomy Course for beginners held two times annually, Belgrade Astronomy Weekend (BAW) in June which consists of several lectures on different topics and Summer Astronomical Gatherings in August and September with several lectures on similar topic. All courses are held in the Society's planetarium.
See also
- Astronomy in SerbiaAstronomy in SerbiaAstronomy in Serbia is developed in accordance with the country's economic capabilities, or even slightly above them. Astronomical Observatory Belgrade , founded in 1887, is one of the oldest scientific institutions in Serbia...
- Popular Observatory
- Belgrade PlanetariumBelgrade PlanetariumBelgrade Planetarium is one of two planetariums in Serbia. It is operated by the Astronomical Society Ruđer Bošković.- History :The planetarium's instrument, little Zeiss's planetarium ZKP-2...
- Vasiona