Early Years | The Making of an Observatory 1964-1971
Founding of Stephanion Observatory
HISTORY
The Founding of the Observatory
Since antiquity, Greece has been a source of inspiration for the study of the universe and a cradle of astronomical thought. Yet, despite its clear skies and long tradition of observing the heavens, the country lacked a modern observatory dedicated to astrophysical research until the early 1960s. Initial efforts by the National Committee for Astronomy, established in 1957, to identify suitable locations for a modern observatory had stalled due to a lack of financial resources.
At the same time, Greece’s exceptionally clear skies began attracting the interest of astronomers from Western Europe. In early 1964, a four-member Dutch scientific mission led by Professor Adriaan Blaauw of the Kapteyn Astronomical Laboratory in Groningen visited Greece to investigate the possibility of establishing an observing station that would serve astronomers from all Dutch astronomical institutions. Blaauw was one of the most influential figures in twentieth-century European astronomy and would later serve as Director General of the European Southern Observatory (ESO).
Working closely with the National Committee for Astronomy and drawing upon climatological data, the astronomers identified the mountainous regions of Argolis and Corinthia as the most promising locations for a new observatory. A joint survey team was subsequently formed, consisting of Dr. Lysimachos N. Mavridis from Greece and Dr. Jan Borgman, Dr. J. de Kort, and Professor Anne B. Underhill from the Netherlands, to carry out detailed field investigations.
Two locations emerged as leading candidates: Arachnaio in Argolis and Stephani in Corinthia. While Arachnaio offered a higher elevation—an important advantage for reducing atmospheric absorption—Stephani proved superior in terms of accessibility. A dirt road approximately fifteen kilometres long connected the village to Chiliomodi, situated on the Athens–Corinth–Argos road and railway corridor. The road had originally been opened during the interwar period on the initiative of Prime Minister Panagis Tsaldaris to facilitate the transport of Stephani’s then renowned cheese products.
Thus, on a sunny spring day in 1964, the survey team arrived in Stephani by car. From there, they continued on foot to the summit of Psili Rachi (1,079 m), exploring the landscape and assessing the observing conditions that, only a few years later, would give rise to Greece’s first modern astronomical observatory.
The grant from nato’s science committee
The International Grant That Laid the Foundations
In February 1966, a decisive step was taken towards the creation of Stephanion Observatory and the advancement of modern Greek astronomy. Following the support and advocacy of Dutch astronomer Adriaan Blaauw, NATO’s Scientific Committee approved a grant of $14,000 to Dr. Heinz Neckel of the Hamburg Observatory and Lysimachos N. Mavridis of the University of Thessaloniki for the implementation of a joint Greek-German research programme. The two scientists had likely become acquainted through their research appointments in Heidelberg and later Cleveland, Ohio. The project provided for the transfer to Greece and operation, for a period of two years, of a reflector telescope from the University of Hamburg for the purpose of conducting photoelectric observations.
The first issue to be resolved was the selection of a suitable observing site. As early as October 1965, drawing upon the findings of the Dutch survey missions of 1964, Neckel and Mavridis had visited Stephani in the Corinthia and concluded that the area offered the most favourable conditions for the installation of the telescope. However, the limited financial resources of the programme did not allow for the construction of an access road to the summit of Psili Rachi, which had originally been identified as the ideal observing location. Instead, a lower hill known as Dragatoura, situated southwest of the village, was selected. It is here that the Observatory stands to this day.
The tight schedule of the project did not allow sufficient time for the land to be acquired through expropriation on behalf of the University of Thessaloniki or any other public institution. In order to secure the site, Lysimachos Mavridis purchased the land with his own funds, while additional land was generously donated by Christos G. Papantoniou, a resident of Stephani who would later join the Observatory as a member of its technical staff and serve as an observing assistant for many years.
The contribution of the local community also proved crucial. According to contemporary accounts, when one of the landowners demanded a higher price for the sale of his property, there was a serious risk that the installation of the telescope at Stephani would be abandoned. Mavridis made it clear that, should the negotiations fail, the telescope would instead be moved to Arachnaio, the second candidate location. Faced with this prospect, the President of the Community of Stephani, Panagiotis G. Balafas, together with the villagers, organized a fundraising campaign to raise the additional amount required and ensure the completion of the land purchase.
What began as an international scientific collaboration soon became a shared effort between astronomers and the people of Stephani, laying the foundations for what would become Greece’s first modern observatory.
The Visionaries
Behind the creation of the Stephanion Observatory stood a remarkable group of astronomers, scientists and visionaries from Greece and across Europe whose ideas, dedication and spirit of cooperation transformed a hilltop in Corinthia into a centre of astronomical research. Discover the people whose contributions shaped the Observatory and left a lasting mark on its history.
Dr. Lysimachos N. Mavridis
Laboratory of Geodetic Astronomy at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
Lysimachos N. Mavridis was one of Greece’s most distinguished astronomers of his time and a leading figure in the development of modern astronomical research in the country.
Dr. Adriaan Blaauw
Kapteyn Astronomical Laboratory at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Adriaan Blaauw was one of the Netherlands’ most influential astronomers and a leading figure in twentieth-century European astronomy.
Dr. Heinz Neckel
Hamburg Observatory, Germany
Heinrich “Heinz” Neckel was a German astronomer of the Hamburg Observatory and one of the key astronomers in the creation of Stephanion Observatory.