Ataturk University Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer Çomaklı also attended the meeting with local stakeholders as part of the 2022 International Sky Observation Event to be held in Erzurum in July.
To the preliminary committee meeting held for the Sky Observation Event, which will be held under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, under the leadership of TÜBİTAK; Erzurum Governor Okay Memiş, Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mehmet Sekmen, Atatürk University Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer Çomaklı, Director of Astrophysics Research and Application Center Prof. Dr. Cahit Yeşilyaprak, Erzurum Provincial Director of Youth and Sports Birdal Öztürk and related institution managers and representatives attended.

Stating that the event will be held in cooperation with TÜBİTAK Turkey Space Agency (TUG), Erzurum Governorship, Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality, Atatürk University, KUDAKA and DAG, Governor Okay Memiş mentioned the importance of the event planned to be held in the Eastern Anatolia Observatory (DAG) and Konaklı region for Erzurum.

Noting that the observation event, which has been held in Antalya for 22 years, will start from Diyarbakır and spread to Anatolia within the framework of the cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Governor Memiş stated that thousands of astronomy enthusiasts from all over Turkey and abroad will meet in Erzurum.

Rector Çomaklı: “DAG Has Already Become One of the Attractions”

While counting the days for the completion of the physical preparations of the Eastern Anatolian Observatory (DAG) project, which enables Turkey to be among the few countries in the world that can design and manufacture its own telescope and imaging systems nationally, cooperation protocols and scientific negotiations continue.

In this context, Rector Prof.Dr. Ömer Çomaklı, who attended the meeting held in Erzurum Governorship. both gave information about the latest developments in DAG and conveyed his views and suggestions about the planned event that formed the agenda of the meeting. The "Eastern Anatolian Observatory", which is the largest basic science investment in astronomy, astrophysics and space sciences among Turkey's 2023 vision projects, which has been successfully carried out since 2012 with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Technology, within the body of Atatürk University Astrophysics Research and Application Center (ATASAM). Rector Çomaklı stated that the installation works of the DAG are continuing at full speed on the Konaklı-Karakaya Hill of Erzurum, at an altitude of 3,170, and that the first light will be received by the end of this year, and that DAG has already become one of the centers of attraction.

“Observation Festivals, Events and Festivals Will Bring Profits to Erzurum”

Rector Çomaklı stated that he believes DAG will be a frequent destination for all sky enthusiasts, as well as scientific and academic studies, and pointed out that the center will be one of the important centers of Erzurum in this sense, with the planned events, festivals and festivities. Rector Çomaklı stated that within the scope of these planned activities, the participants can learn to take space photographs and expressed that those who are interested in space can create an environment where they can watch planets and galaxies with telescopes, and that a full program awaits all Erzurum residents and sky enthusiasts.

Rector Çomaklı mentioned the importance of organizing observation festivals, events and festivals in order to spread the science of astronomy to the community in Turkey, to attract the attention of especially young people to this field with workshops, to contribute to the internationalization of the city and the university, and to increase the interest in amateur astronomy. He concluded his evaluation by underlining that it will bring profit to .

CORPORATE COMMUNICATION DIRECTORATE – 28.04.2022