Assy-Turgen observatory begins operating new 1.5-metre AZT-20 telescope
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 2
Assy-Turgen observatory begins operating new 1.5-metre AZT-20 telescope
4 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 2
At Kazakhstan's Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute, the telescope sits in a 45-metre-tall pavilion whose construction began in the late 1980s and was completed after work resumed in 2014.
Funding had been suspended after the Soviet Union's collapse, but the institute restarted the project with its own resources and brought the instrument into operation in 2017.
Described as Kazakhstan's largest telescope, it helps bridge an astronomy capability gap between Europe and Asia and reflects how former Soviet scientific institutions have survived post-Soviet decline.
How have post-Soviet scientific institutions balanced preserving their legacy with adapting to new political and economic realities?
In what ways has ongoing conflict in Ukraine reshaped the region’s scientific landscape and international collaborations?
Does the emphasis on patents and global rankings hinder more practical, grassroots innovation in post-Soviet countries?