The first astronomical observatory in Israel officially opens Oct. 26 at Mitzpe Ramon, a little town some 100 miles south of Tel Aviv in the Negev desert, it was announced here today by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Some of the world’s leading astronomers are expected to attend the dedication ceremonies for the new Florence and George S. Wise Observatory, a field research facility at the Department of Physics and Astronomy of Tel Aviv University.
The $1.5 million installation features a 40-inch reflecting telescope and its associated electronic equipment for advanced studies of the stars and galaxies and for research on quasars and x-ray sources. The location of the observatory makes it particularly useful for cooperative programs with observatories in the Western Hemisphere. The observatory was established with assistance from the Smithsonian Institution. A group of American astronomers coordinated by Dr. Myron Lecar of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory are collaborating with Israeli astronomers in the observatory’s research programs.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
