Abastumani Observatory (Region of Samtskhe-Javakheti)
Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory (Georgian: აბასთუმნის ასტროფიზიკური ობსერვატორია) – Abastumani Observatory can easily be considered the most interesting attraction of Georgia. The observatory is a must-see for lovers of space, science, astronomy, stars and nebulae. It is located near the resort of Abastumani, from which a very beautiful mountain road leads to the observatory. You can also go up by cable car. The observatory was the first high-altitude observatory in the USSR, where 2 comets, some minor planets, 6 supernovae, 17 planetary nebulae, 3 star clusters, and many emission stars were discovered.
The observatory conducts scientific research in the fields of astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, atmospheric-ionospheric physics and near space physics. The research includes the following areas: Solar System, Stellar and Extragalactic Astronomy, Solar Physics, Cosmology and Theoretical Astrophysics, Atmospheric-ionospheric Physics. Excursions are organized for tourists, which allow them to visit the observatory itself and the astrophysical museum located on its territory. They are daytime (from 11 to 20.00), evening (from 20.00 to 00.00) and – if there are no clouds in the sky – night (from 00.00 to 03.00). As part of the excursion, you can visit a beautiful park. And at night, look at the moon through a telescope. The night excursion is the most interesting.
Abastumani village (Georgian: დაბა აბასთუმანი), Adigeni Municipality (Georgian: ადიგენის მუნიციპალიტეტი)
