Purple Mountain Observatory stands on a hill outside Nanjing, in eastern China, and is regarded as the first modern astronomical research institution established by the Chinese themselves. It was founded under the Academia Sinica, with the astronomer Gao Lu as a leading figure, at a time when Chinese astronomy relied on older imperial observatories and foreign-run stations. During the Second World War its staff and instruments were moved inland for safety. After 1949 it became part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and it has been responsible for discovering many asteroids and comets, as well as for work on timekeeping, solar-system dynamics and radio astronomy. Observation stations were added at other sites with clearer skies.
Before and after
- 1928Publication of The Master and Margarita
- 1928Construction of Palomar Observatory
- 1928Publication of The Threepenny Opera
- from 1928 to 2018Founding of FC Kuban Krasnodar
- 1928Founding of Purple Mountain Observatory
- 5 January 1928Birth of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
- 5 January 1928Birth of Walter Mondale
- 25 January 1928Birth of Eduard Shevardnadze
- 4 February 1928Death of Hendrik Lorentz
More in Universe & space
- 1919Founding of Einstein Tower
- 1920Discovery of the Hoba meteorite
- 15 November 1927Discovery of 29P/Schwassmann–Wachmann
- 18 February 1930Clyde Tombaugh discovers Pluto
- 1933Fritz Zwicky infers dark matter
- 14 May 1935Founding of Griffith Observatory
The era
This moment belongs to the Modern era (1914 CE to 1945 CE), world wars and a changing world. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.