International Conference 150 years of the Astronomical Observatory in Hurbanovo

The TIT Komárom-Esztergom County Association and the Slovak Central Observatory organized an International Conference 150 years of the Astronomical Observatory in Hurbanovo, which was held in the Slovak Central Observatory (SCO) in Hurbanovo from 24 to 26 November 2021.

The participants were greeted by Fridrich Valach, head of the Geomagnetic Observatory of the Institute of Earth Sciences, and the conference was opened by Ivan Dorotovič, Deputy General Director of the SCO.

24 lectures were presented, speakers reported on astronomy in Slovak texts 150 years ago, on the gradual development of the number of domes in the first period of the observatory's development, on some devices designed or improved by the founder's founder, Dr. Nicholas Thege Konkoly, on Konkoly's relationship with K. Posztoczky and J. Gothard; about the activities in the observatory between the two world wars, about the 60-cm mirror telescope and about the astrometric observation of the at that time newly discovered planet Pluto; on astronomy in Hurbanovo after 1962, on current cooperation between GAE and SCO, on Astronomical Institute of SAS in Tatranská Lomnica, on history of meteorology in Prešov, on Lenartov meteorite, on scientific research and observational activities of SCO, on popular educational activities in the observatory in Hurbanovo, on the editorial and publishing activities of SCO.

Five panels on the 150-year history of the Hurbanovo Observatory were placed in the Nicholas Thege Konkoly Museum on the occasion of the conference.

The conference was attended by a total of 40 participants, of whom 18 were present at the SCO and 22 participants attended the event online in a virtual conference room.