a major astronomical observatory, located at Nauchny and Simeiz in Crimea, Ukraine. It was established in 1908 as a branch of the Pulkovo Observatory (near St. Petersburg) and houses modern optical reflecting telescopes with diameters of 1.20 and 2.65 metres (3.94 and 8.69 feet). It also operates several small radio telescopes, the most important of which is a high-precision, steerable paraboloid, 22 metres (72 feet) in diameter.