Since 2009, by decision of the Armenian government, on September 18, the country has celebrated Astronomy Day, which is traditionally timed to coincide with various thematic events.
The date was chosen due to the fact that on September 18, 1908, academician Viktor Amazaspovich Ambartsumyan was born in Tiflis —, an outstanding Armenian scientist, founder of theoretical astrophysics, National Hero of Armenia. As the Minister of Education and Science of Armenia Spartak Seyranyan said, Ambartsumyan’s great legacy is a contribution to world astronomy.
Twice hero of Socialist Labor, twice laureate of the Stalin Prize and the State Prize of the Russian Federation, Viktor Ambartsumyan worked in the field of physics of stars and nebulae, stellar astronomy and the dynamics of star systems, cosmogony of stars and galaxies. His many scientific achievements include — the theory of light scattering in turbid environments, stellar associations and evolution of stars, star shell physics and extragalactic astronomy.
A small planet is named after Academician Ambartsumyan, as well as the Byurakan Observatory in Armenia, the founder of which was the great scientist.
Today the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory named after. V.A. Ambartsumyan — is one of the leading scientific institutions of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia. The observatory is located in the Aragatsotn region on the southern slope of Mount Aragats at an altitude of 1490 m. The observatory building complex is an architectural monument. Over the years of its existence, the observatory staff has completed many works, studies and discoveries in the field of astronomy. Also, 4 symposia of the International Astronomical Union were held here.