A network of astronomical observatories established in central Poland is designed to fuel interest in astronomy among schoolchildren, students as well as the general public.
- 24 February 2014
All this means that our region can be truly called the centre of Polish astronomy.
In total, 14 fully-equipped observatories in the region of Kujawsko-pomorskie have joined the astronomical network whose purpose is to bolster interest in astronomy and also to provide a boost for the tourist industry.
Visitors to the observatories will be able to use high-resolution astronomical telescopes to see not only close-up views of our own solar system, but also distant star systems millions of light years from planet Earth. Each of the 14 “Astro-Bases” has its own local coordinator, a specialist in astronomy and science who is often a teacher. The salaries of the coordinators are paid by the local authorities but all the training courses are organised by the region of Kujawsko-pomorskie.
By providing the public with easy access to high quality astronomical equipment, the hope is that this will fuel interest in astronomy in particular as well as interest in the other sciences and mathematics in general.
The region of Kujawsko-pomorskie has a long association with astronomy dating back to the 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. This tradition has been continued into the modern era and the region houses Poland’s largest telescope at an observatory close to Toruń as well as a modern planetarium, both of which are part of the Astro-Base network.
Tourism boost
Project manager Jarosław Przybył said that the project to establish the network of observatories had provided a significant boost to the tourist industry. In the first year since it was established, around 10 000 people visited the observatories. In addition, the project has created 28 permanent jobs.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Astro-Base – astronomical observatories in the Kujawsko-pomorskie voivodeship” amounted to PLN 4 011 952 (around EUR 965 000), of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributed PLN 2 607 769 (around EUR 630 000) from the Operational Programme Kujawsko-pomorskie for the 2007 to 2013 programming period.