Vitebsk Observatory, Amateur astronomical observatory in Vitebsk Region, Belarus.
The Vitebsk Observatory is an astronomical facility in the Vitebsk Region equipped with several telescopes for observing the night sky. The main instrument is a 30-centimeter telescope used for detailed observations of celestial objects.
Vitaly Nevsky, an amateur astronomer, built the observatory in 1991–1992 about 20 km south of Vitebsk, making it the first private observatory in Belarus. After army service from 1992 to 1994, he installed a stationary 20-cm Newtonian telescope, used to observe comets Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp. A 30-cm reflector became the main instrument in 1997, and on 7 July 2007 the facility was registered at the Minor Planet Center under code B42.
The observatory is a private facility built by amateur astronomer Vitaly Nevsky, who has discovered more than 500 new variable stars. Its Minor Planet Center code is B42, and asteroid (264061) Vitebsk is named after the city. The first asteroid found with instruments on Belarusian soil, (216897) Golubev, honours Vladimir Golubev of Vitebsk State University.
The observatory is a private facility built by Vitaly Nevsky about 20 km south of Vitebsk, so visits must be arranged with the owner beforehand. The dome is 5 m across and the tower 6.5 m high; the main 30-cm Newtonian reflector is mounted permanently inside. Plan observing for moonless, cloud-free nights.
The first asteroid found with instruments on Belarusian soil, (216897) Golubev, was discovered here and named after Vladimir Golubev, a lecturer in physics and astronomy at Vitebsk State University. The observatory also recorded the country's first supernova, 2010br, in galaxy NGC 4051 on the night of 10/11 April 2010.
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