BOSSCHA OBSERVATORY

Have you ever been heard about the world of observatory? You know that our country has an observatory in Lembang. It is the only one Indonesia has.

The name of the observatory is Bosscha. It is located in the middle of a plantation. It is about fourteen kilometers in the north of Bandung, West Java. Although the building is old enough, it still looks clean. It is a proof that the observatory is taken care well.

Bosscha Observatory was built by Nederlandsch Indische Sterrenkundige Vereeniging (NISV) in 1923. The building was sponsored by Karl Albert Rudolf Bosscha. He was a devotee of science and entrepreneur of tea plantation in Malabar, West Java. The name of the observatory was taken from his name.

NISV managed Bosscha Observatory from 1923 to 1942. Japan came and occupied Indonesia during 1942 to 1945. Bosscha Observatory was taken over by Japan. After Japan left Indonesia in 1945, the building was great damaged. In 1947, NISV managed Bosscha Observatory again in cooperation with Indonesia University. Since 1959, it has been managed by Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB).

Bosscha Observatory has many kinds of hardwires. By these we can see and observe the heavenly bodies. There is a hardware namely Telescope of Schmidt Type. With this telescope, we can observe our galaxy and the spectrum of stars. Another telescope is Telescope of Cassegrain Type. By using this telescope, we can record data of measurements. You will see the other hardwires whenever you come there.

Bosscha Observatory is open to public. But, there are some regulations that we must obey before visiting there. One of them is that visitors have to register (written or spoken) two weeks before the visiting day.

Bosscha Observatory is really a nice place to visit. Besides, studying astronomy we can enjoy beautiful scene in the cool weather of Lembang.