starry skies above

WATCH THE DARK SKY TO SEE THE LIGHT Situated on the Pulkovo hill near Saint-Petersburg, the Pulkovo Observatory, also known as the Central Astronomical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences seems to be almost forgotten now.

Founded in 1836 by German astronomer Wilhelm Struve and the emperor Nicholas I, the observatory gained a glowing reputation among European and American scientists for the very accurate positional surveying just about 30 years later. American astronomer Benjamin Gould then said that Pulkovo is the “Astronomical capital of the world”. Almost demolished during WWII, and reborn in 1956, the observatory experienced a renaissance in the 70s. But with the collapse of the USSR, it started slowly losing its influence and protection. Astronomy was missing from the Russian school courses for 29 years. Pulkovo as well as astronomy and other Russian observatories disappeared from culture and news. The hill still has a pure nature, there are wild birds and animals in the forests, springs are gushing from the ground. Astronomers of Pulkovo keep a tradition of high-quality science but mostly in desolation. Stargazing coincidentally leads them to meditation-like experiences and a philosophical kind of thinking.

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