200 years of the Astronomical Observatory of the University of Warsaw

The University of Warsaw Astronomical Observatory is one of the leading astronomical centers in Poland. It will celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2025. Several events are planned for September to mark the occasion.

The Astronomical Observatory of the University of Warsaw (OA UW) building was opened on August 18, 1825. Its construction took several years (1820-1824), and was carried out by Franciszek Armiński, head of the Department of Astronomy at the Royal University of Warsaw, which was established in 1816.

Currently, there are no telescopes in the domes on the observatory's roof, although astronomical instruments were housed in the observatory building until World War II. Currently, the University of Warsaw Observatory operates a 60 cm telescope in Ostrowik near Warsaw and a 1.3 m telescope in Chile. The former is called the North Observing Station in Ostrowik, while the latter is called the South Observing Station in Las Campanas, Chile.

A conference and three exhibitions are planned to mark the 200th anniversary. A book entitled "200 Years of the Astronomical Observatory of the University of Warsaw" has also been published by the University of Warsaw Press. The academic editor is Professor Jarosław Włodarczyk of the L. and A. Birkenmajer Institute of the History of Science, Polish Academy of Sciences. This publication is the first comprehensive study of the history of the University of Warsaw Astronomical Observatory.

People walking along Aleje Ujazdowskie in Warsaw can see boards hanging on the fence surrounding the University of Warsaw's Academic Library. This exhibition showcases the research being conducted by scientists from this institution. Another exhibition will open on September 9th at the Kazimierzowski Palace on the University of Warsaw Main Campus. There will also be a third exhibition at the University of Warsaw Museum.

The celebration also included a ceremony to name an asteroid after one of Warsaw's astronomers. The asteroid (599019) Jerzymadej was named in May 2025 in honor of Prof. Dr. hab. Jerzy Madej, a distinguished member of the University of Warsaw Astronomy Department. The ceremony in Warsaw took place on September 4th in the University of Warsaw Senate Hall in Kazimierzowski Palace on the University of Warsaw Main Campus.

The University of Warsaw Astronomy Center also organized the Observatory Alumni Reunion, attended by over 140 current and former employees and alumni of astronomy at the University of Warsaw. The event took place on September 7th.

An even larger group, over 200 people, will gather for the 42nd Congress of the Polish Astronomical Society (PTA), which begins in Warsaw on September 8th. For the first time, the University of Warsaw Astronomical Observatory is hosting this scientific conference. The opening ceremony will include, among other things, a historical and scientific session on the 200th anniversary of the University of Warsaw Astronomical Society.

The University of Warsaw's OAU conducts a variety of space research projects. The most well-known project by Warsaw astronomers from the University of Warsaw's OA is OGLE. This project monitors the brightness of millions of stars. It has been ongoing since 1992. Currently, the database includes over a trillion brightness measurements for two billion stars and one million sky images. This is a vast amount of information, which allows for the study of gravitational microlensing, extrasolar planets, variable stars, and many other aspects of astronomy.

The institution's director, Professor Tomasz Bulik, points out that the University of Warsaw Astronomical Observatory has been a crucial point on the scientific map of Poland for 200 years. Its history is inextricably linked to that of the university, Warsaw, and the entire country. Throughout this period, the institution has not only educated successive generations of astronomers but also actively participated in the development of space research, adapting to changing political, social, and technological realities.

Modern astronomy is experiencing dynamic development, and the University of Warsaw Astronomical Observatory continues to play a key role in educating future generations of scientists and in conducting modern space research, the scientist concludes. (PAP)

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