Shorbuloq Sun Observatory
Man-made, Notable Building, Observatory
Shorbuloq Observatory was establishedto observe themovement of Sun at the highest point in the former Soviet Union. The observatory is located at an altitude of 4370 meters above sea level. At that time, the observatory belonged to the Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). It was one of the most important research observatories in the entire USSR. This observatory was built considering the specific climate of the territory Eastern Pamirs. The geographic coordinate of the site (37.555009 N: 74.982320 E).
The Shorbuloq observatory is located in the Murgab district of GBAO. It was built by a number of professionals, whose names are still preserved on one of the memorial plaques. It was originally named the Pamir Astronomical Expedition of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union. The expedition was organized by two institutions - the Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory and the Space Research Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union.
At the moment, the observatory is abandoned. However, the observatory has a huge potential to be turned into a educational and research point for tourism. The site can be marketed for the tourists , scientists (astronomers, physicist). In order to turn into a touristic site the abandoned observatory should be restored. Tourists can admire observing the stars through a 70-centimeter telescope. For an ordinary tourist, the observatory (more precisely, the hill on which it is located) is of interest. Walking and hiking around the hill allows tourist to watch the stunning view of the high mountains of Chinese Xinjiang, and plates of Murgab.
The Shorbuloq observatory is located in the Murgab district of GBAO. It was built by a number of professionals, whose names are still preserved on one of the memorial plaques. It was originally named the Pamir Astronomical Expedition of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union. The expedition was organized by two institutions - the Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory and the Space Research Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union.
At the moment, the observatory is abandoned. However, the observatory has a huge potential to be turned into a educational and research point for tourism. The site can be marketed for the tourists , scientists (astronomers, physicist). In order to turn into a touristic site the abandoned observatory should be restored. Tourists can admire observing the stars through a 70-centimeter telescope. For an ordinary tourist, the observatory (more precisely, the hill on which it is located) is of interest. Walking and hiking around the hill allows tourist to watch the stunning view of the high mountains of Chinese Xinjiang, and plates of Murgab.
Travelling to the Site
Shorbuloq observatory is located in the Murgab district , at 310 km off the Khorog-Murgab highway. The observatory can be reached by rented vehicles in Khorog, Murgab or the village of Alichur. Tourists can also travel to the siteby bicycle. They can travel to this site via following routes: Khorog-Shorbuloq (along the Pamir highway) or Khorog-Ishkashim -Shorbuloq. It is necessary to put an information board and a bench on a hill so that tourists can sit and admire the view from the hill where the observatory is located.