site.btaProject of National Astronomical Observatory at Rozhen to be Funded by 150,000 Leva

Project of  National Astronomical Observatory at Rozhen to be Funded by 150,000 Leva

Sofia, September 2 (BTA) - The Environment and Water Ministry
and the Rozhen National Astronomical Observatory are to sign an
agreement on the implementation of a project worth 150,000 leva,
 the funding of which will be provided by the Environment and
Water Ministry, the Ministry said in a press release.

The project, which will study the connection between
astronomical data about the atmosphere and ecological
characteristics of ambient air, is the second project of the
observatory funded by the Ministry through the enterprise for
management of activities for environmental protection.

It emerged a few days ago that the Rozhen observatory is on the
brink of financial collapse. The scholars working in it launched
 a fund-raising charity campaign to collect the necessary amount
 of money to pay the observatory's electricity bill and
undertake urgent repair works on the building.

Head of the Astronomy Institute with the Bulgarian Academy of
Sciences Tanyu Bonev wrote an open letter saying that the money
is needed for the work of the observatory, and not for salaries
of the scientists. Bonev listed a detailed breakdown of urgent
expenses: 63,000 leva for power, 54,000 leva for repair works of
 the domes of the telescopes, 67,000 leva for a back-up power
generator, 53,000 leva for repair works on buildings and 27,000
leva for repair works on the power installation of the
observatory.