Vilnius University Astronomical Observatory

holding picture of Vilnius University Observatory In 1753, by the initiative of Thomas Zebrowski, the Vilnius University Astronomical Observatory was established, which was among the first observatories in Europe and the first in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The construction was funded by Elżbieta Ogińska-Puzynina. The first telescope (13.5 cm reflector) was donated by Michał Kazimierz "Rybeńko" Radziwiłł, Grand Hetman of the army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Later the observatory was headed by Jan Śniadecki (1807–1825) and Piotr Sławinski (1825–1843). In 1876, a fire broke out in the observatory, causing heavy damage. The observatory did not receive any funds for restoration and five years later was closed. ==After World War I==

The astronomical observatory was revived only after World War I. In Vilnius, then occupied by Poland, a Department of Astronomy was set up at the reopened Vilnius University. Władysław Dziewulski, a prominent Polish astronomer, was appointed as the head of this department. The location of the old observatory was no longer suitable for astronomical observations. Therefore, in 1921 it was decided to build a new observatory. For that purpose a site was allocated on the outskirts of the city near Vingis Park on the present M.K.Čiurlionis street. The observatory was equipped with two 15 cm Zeiss astrographs and a 48 cm reflector with a spectrograph. ==After World War II==

After World War II activities of Lithuanian astronomers resumed at the newly-named Astronomical Observatory of Vilnius University. Professor Paulius Slavėnas became the head of the observatory. In 1957–62, several instruments (the 12 cm and 16 cm astrographs, 25 cm and 48 cm reflectors and the slitless Zeiss spectrograph) were restored and renovated. Research of variable stars and photometric observations using the Vilnius multicolour photometric system, created by Vytautas Straižys, began. After the expansion of Vilnius, accurate astronomical observations became impossible due to air and light pollution in the 1960s. In 1968, the 48 cm telescope was moved to Simeiz Observatory in Crimea where it was in use up to 1973. Later it was moved to Maidanak Observatory in Uzbekistan. In 1974, the 63 cm reflector was put in operation at Molėtai Astronomical Observatory. The observatory became involved in the design and construction of photometric equipment for telescopes, in the study of variable stars, physical and chemical properties of stars, interstellar matter, as well as the structure of the Milky Way, Andromeda, and Triangulum galaxies. In 1960–92, in collaboration with the Institute of Physics and Mathematics, the Astronomical Observatory published the Bulletin of the Vilnius Astronomical Observatory. ==Directors==