Astronomers use facilities situated at the Hvar Observatory, which opened in 1972 close to Split on the Adriatic coast. The instrument was dismantled from 1991 to 1992 because of the risk of damage during the war, but now all the instruments are again in place. Researchers investigate two main topics, solar physics and variable stars, with occasional excursions to other topics such as asteroids. The observatory is on a hill 245 meters above sea level, immediately above a resort town. Other research relies on international collaboration, especially with the Academy of Sciences in Prague.
Human nature compensates for distress.
The professional astronomical society entered the International Astronomical Union, our students and research workers started to study and work abroad, and foreign experts began to visit us. Over the past three years, the position of astronomy within the Faculty of Science has improved. Astrophysical courses are taught intensively in the graduate physics program, complementing special courses that have been taught on the postgraduate level for two decades. We look to participate in international endeavors, projects, and teams. They too share the privileges of the education system, including astronomy classes, amateur activities, and competitions.