About Us
Astronomy, which stabilized its position over the ages by progressing, is the obvious proof of mankind’s, who is physically a very weak being and infinitesimally small in astronomical scale, success in how much he knows the surrounding universe, even though he was on the Earth for a very short while. Astronomy is the grandest indicator of mankind’s mind. Various examples can be given for astronomy’s contributions to both technology and other scientific branches as well as the everyday life, but the primary importance of it is the contribution it does to the cumulative culture of mankind.
The knowledge we have obtained about the universe thanks to the scientific methods we have developed after our first sky observations helped us in our quest for knowing ourselves and understanding our place in the universe. The astronomical observations we performed during this quest and the models and ideas we derived to explain them found themselves a home in philosophy and sometimes in discussions in other scientific branches and helped us forego our unchangeable assumptions and prejudices; it affected our viewing angle of the communities we live in, our lives and our world views.
One of the first enterprises of our young republic’s forefathers led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in making our country reach modern education and research level was the restructuring of Istanbul University and the establishment of our country’s first astronomy department. Our department has continually developed since its establishment, has been the top choice as Astronomy and Space Sciences Department in the country and has been one of the most successful departments in our university and our country in scientific research. For our research and sometimes education we use observations that we perform in our country’s or foreign observatories or we make use of big data archives and also utilize these resources for the theses of our graduate students.
The students who chose to enroll in our department will mostly take fundamental mathematics and physics courses over the course of their first two years that will prepare them for the astronomy education they will receive. Since astronomy gives us the opportunity to understand extraordinary physical conditions that do not exist on Earth and also not repeatable in laboratory conditions these courses help our students understand the advanced courses in the following years. In the last years the density of astronomy and astrophysics classes reach high levels making our students a part of the aforementioned development and achievement and they start to realize that they are adopting the scientific method. After their graduation, as individuals who have grasped scientific thinking and problem solving methods, they utilize this knowledge in the professional field and contribute to the community and mankind.
Our educational and research activities take place in the Istanbul University’s central Beyazit campus in the buildings surrounding the Istanbul University Observatory. This building was rebuilt in 2013 and our classrooms with advanced hardware, our computer laboratory, our library, our telescopes dedicated to the use of our students, our planetarium, our astronomy club and our many other similar resources await our students who want a fertile and peaceful university education.
Prof. Dr. Tansel AK
The idea of an Astronomy Collection that reflects the approximately 85 year history of Faculty of Science Astronomy and Space Sciences Department and Istanbul University Observatory (established 1933) was suggested by Mrs. Ingrid Oppermann, who is the daughter of Ord. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Gleissberg (1903-1986) who has worked in our Department for 25 years beginning from the establishment. In the first display of the collection the purchase of furniture and other necessities was done by Mrs. Oppermann. She herself opened the collection to public use by cutting the ribbon in 30th of April, 2009 after a meeting called “Commemoration of Ord. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Gleissberg in his 75th anniversary at Istanbul University” that was held in the PhD room of the rectorate in front of her German friends, the department members and workers and a wide audience and then gave a guided tour to the collection’s first visitors.
Ord. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Gleissberg (1903-1986)
The opening of Ord. Prof. Dr. W. Gleissberg Astronomy Collection by Mrs. Ingrid Oppermann (29th of April, 2009). From left to right: Prof. Dr. A. Metin Hotinli, Prof. Dr. H. Gökmen Tektunalı, Mrs. Ingrid Oppermann, Assoc. Prof. Dr. H. Hasan Esenoğlu
The department was demolished and rebuilt and equipped according to modern and smart building concept except for the historical part. As such, the collection was also moved from its original location to the historical building to the room that was once utilized by Ord. Prof. Dr. W. Gleissberg as an office.
Today, the Astronomy Collection contains astronomical instruments ranging from scientific technology from the empire era to devices the republic’s first years and finally instruments that are actively used nowadays.
Currently 88 pieces are being displayed in the collection which include location detection devices, clocks, calculators, drawing and measurement devices, meteorological instruments and comparators. After a sorting instruments that are used in education will be included in the Collection’s inventory as well.
Amongst the collection pieces notable ones are: pendulum clocks that received an international quality certificate, nautical chronometers, a nocturnal use adapted sextant, a transit instrument, the binocular with the “Son Alleste Imperiale-Mourad Effendy” plaque, wondrous mechanical calculators, the meteorite that fell to Çanakkale in 1964, a copy of the 19th of February 1935 decree and the purchase order to buy the building’s dome signed by M. Kemal Atatürk.
The Astronomy and Space Sciences Department commanding a respectable position in education, research and public activities continues to work to fulfill its mission and vision by utilizing its modern observatory and hardware, the images, its planetarium, solar observations with its historical telescope, at nights doing regular and remote observations with IST60 and IST40 telescopes and also making use of TÜBİTAK National Observatory (TUG), international data archives as well as international collaborations and its traditionalized public activities received by a wide audience.
Ord. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Gleissberg Astronomy Collection displays the development of the historical Department in the most meaningful way.
For a visit to the Gleissberg Astronomy Collection you can visit the Astronomy and Space Sciences Department Public Activities page and book an appointment.
https://astronomi.istanbul.edu.tr/bilimtoplum