Highmountain Observatory on Chornohora

The problem of new observatory construction originated in Poland after the World War I as the existing one situated in Warsaw was getting less usable for astronomical observations becau se of the rapid city development. But Warsaw University and the Ministry of Creed and National Education expenses were insufficient for realization of such a project.
In 1935, the general, engineer Leon Verbetsky in the name of State Defense League suggested professor Mykhajlo Kamensky (director of astronomic observatory of Warsaw University) to construct astronomic section in meteorological observatory. It"s building was planned in the shortest time in Carpathian mountains on the altitude of Pip Ivan. Construction of observatory started in summer 1936 (after the project of architects Marchevsky K. and Pohos'ky Yo.)

This project was admitted to be the best in closed competition. Observatory's walls are made of limestone blocks to thickness of 1,5m on the level of underground floor and 1m on the level of the ground and first floors. Inside, the building is warmed as there's a pitched layer between dry cork and stone. It's two-storyed construction from the East, five-storyed from the West because of location on the slope. Two-sloped roof was covered with copper plates. The telescope was located in rotunda from the South. Building materials were delivered from the railway station of Vorokhta through forest paths with the help of hutsuls horses or with hands. Great efforts were made to transfer 33 trunks of details with dome elements to the altitude of Pip Ivan. The biggest one weighed 950 kg. Inauguration took place on July 29, 1938. When the World War II started observatory's workers evacuated the most valuable equipment: 5 lens of large diameter, 2 lens of less diameter, 2 mikrometers and 2 chronometers. In November 1939 these things were moved to Budapest astronomic observatory, at the end of War to Vienna and at last they were given back to Poland again in the first afterwar years. Three-lens objective is preserved in Shljonsk Plenatarium. Refractor's objective has been used to observe stars visually for a few years in Ostrovik. At the end of 1939 the construction itself and equipment remains on the altitude of Pip Ivan became the property of Soviet government. Meteorological observations has been made there by the end of June 1941. There were launched radio probes and bullet pilots. At that period the director of observatory was Korostenko M. When Germany attacked the USSR, the detachment of Hungarian troops has been located in the obserwatory building by late autumn 1941.
Im May 1942 Commissar of General-Governer's astronomic observatories Valter K. visited Observatory on Chornohora. Following his instructions metal components of astrograph were moved to Lviv. Till now they have been kept in the building of Physics Departament of Lviv State University in Kyrylo and Methodij Street.
From now one observatory has been left and the residents has taken away everything of being worth including dome and roof copper plates. Since, it's activity hasn't renewed any more.

The main astronomic observatory's instrument was 33 centimeter astrograph manufactured on firm "Sir Howard Hrabb Parson and Co" in New Castle, Great Britain. It was designed after the English technology on two poles that guaranteed stability. It's motion was being set with electric engines automatically regulated with special chronometer with second contacts. Astrograph was located in the dome (English manufacturing) of 6m diameter covered with copper metal plates. The dome was being revolved with electric engines. Astrograph's montage was done by magister Matsej Byelitsky who fulfiled the first observations to verify it in 1937. Byelitsky managed to get 4 pictures of planetoid (704) Interamnya. A few months later there were made 2 pictures of Yurlov-Akhmatov Hassel Comet. These works are well-known in magazine publications. All other materials were lost during Warsaw uprising in 1944.

Observatory Chief was meteorologist magister Vladyslav Midovych. Meteorological observations were fulfiled by Frantsishek Vyatr, Bernard Liberra, Stephan Shcsyrbak. The latter also fulfiled astronomic observations and he was simultaneously observatory's supervisior.