)2012/1/21 ‫ تاريخ‬03-02-12(
‫التقرير النهائي‬
Administrative Information
‫المعلومات االدارية‬
Project Title - ‫عنوان المشروع‬
)‫ (المرحلة االولى‬.‫ دراسة الخصائص الفلكية لمواقع على الجبال اللبنانية‬:)‫نحو تأسيس مرصد وطني (أو أقليمي‬
Astronomical Site Testing on Lebanese Mountains Towards Establishing a Regional (or
National) Observatory (Phase 1)
Principal Investigator - ‫الباحث الرئيسي‬
‫رقم الهاتف‬
‫العنوان االلكتروني‬
Telephone
e-mail
09-208726 rhajjar@ndu.edu.lb
03-269405
‫العنوان‬
Address
Depatment
of Sciences
PoBox 72
Zouk Mikael
‫الوظيفية‬
Post
Assistant
Professor
‫المؤسسة‬
Institution
NDU
‫االسم‬
Name
Roger
Hajjar
Co-Workers - ‫الباحثون المشاركون‬
‫العنوان االلكتروني‬
e-mail
bsabra@ndu.edu.lb
‫المؤسسة‬
Institution
NDU
‫االسم‬
Name
Bassem Sabra
principal@tes.edu.lb
Tripoli
Evangelical
School
AUB
Jamal Bittar
meid@aub.edu.lb
Directorate
General of
Civil Aviation
One year extended
Mounib El-Eid
Marc Wehaibe
: Duration -‫المدة التعاقدية للمشروع‬
Scientific Information
‫العلمية‬
‫المعلومات‬
ّ
Objectives - ‫الهدف‬
Identify the best site for astronomical observation in Lebanon through an analysis of Lebanon weather
patterns relative to geographic location, as well as onsite evaluation of some parameters, for a
preliminary selection of sites that would be studied in-depth in a second Phase.
Achievements -‫أالنجازات المحققة‬
1. Initial selection of sites based on altitude and location on the Lebanese map.
2. Visit of 4 sites for three nights with seeing measurements performed on each. We could not reach two
additional sites on the Anti-Lebanon mountain range for various reasons, most importantly their
presence directly on problematic international borders. One of them is also not easily accessible by
motorized vehicles.
3. Obtained one year worth of hourly meteorological data from the Lebanese Meteorological Services. It
turned out that cost of data in Lebanon is extremely expensive, not mentioning the fact that the Lebanese
territory is not well covered. There are almost no stations that have been operating continuously for
some years now near the Anti-Lebanon range. Furthermore, stations are at mid-latitude and none
approaches peaks making it more delicate to study outcomes such as wind roses for our locations.
4. Obtained five years of MODIS images to study nebulosity
5. Obtained satellite based measurements of light pollution for major parts of Lebanon. Southern parts
are missing. However, a knowledge of the Lebanese population distribution and main urban centers in
Lebanon and in neighboring countries made it relatively simple to expect light pollution levels in those
areas that were not available.
6. Reached a short list of two sites to be explored in depth to select a final position for a national
observatory, one on Mount Lebanon, Qornet Assouada; the other is Ras Wadi Hajar on the AntiLebanon Mountain Range. Although not visited, Ras Wadi Hajar’s altitude and light pollution level
makes it a desirable site.
Perspectives - ‫آفاق البحث‬
The study opens up Lebanese mountains and peaks for astronomy. A number of sites have been
visited and thus first hand experience is now available for these. The studied allowed to have an
appreciation of Lebanese mountains for the possible implementation of observatories in
Lebanon. It is also conceived as the first phase of an in-depth study of short listed sites.
Indications are that some site in Lebanon provide excellent opportunities for serious facilities
with excellent accessibility, although accessibility is hampered slightly by evidence for light
pollution.
Publications & Communications - ‫المنشورات والمساهمات في المؤتمرات‬
1. Hajjar, R. et al, 2011, Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, in
preparation
2. Hajjar, R. et al, 2011, “Results of a preliminary survey of sites in Lebanon towards the
establishment of a National Observatory”, MEARIM II, held April 10-16, 2011,
Capetown, South Africa
3. Hajjar, R., 2010, “A National (Regional) Observatory Project in Lebanon: A Roadmap
for the Development of Astronomy in Lebanon”, in Proceedings of the Auresian
Workshop on Astronomy and Astrophysics, held April 29-May1, 2008 in Batna,
Algeria, Cieux Africains, in press.
4. Hajjar, R. et al, 2009, “Site Testing in Lebanon”, oral presentation at the 1st Lebanese
Astrophysics Meeting, April 14-17, 2009 held in Beirut, Lebanon
5. Hajjar, R. et al, 2009, “Site Testing in Lebanon: a first report”, oral presentation at the
Algiers Workshop on Astronomy & Astrophysics, May 13-14, held in Algiers, Algeria.
Abstract - ‫موجز عن نتائج البحث‬
We identified from a geographic survey of Lebanon a number of interesting sites for the implementation
of a National Observatory. Some of these where visited for a period of three days each and seeing was
measured at each. Light Pollution was visually appreciated for some. It was also obtained from maps
from Cinzano et al who worked with satellite data to estimate it worldwide. One year, hourly
meteorological data from ground stations on the Mount Lebanon range was obtained, as well as cloud
coverage data from the MODIS spacecrafts. Based on these set of data, it is recommended that a deeper
and longer term study be carried out on two of the initially selected sites. One on the Mount Lebanon
Range at Qornet Assouada (3083 m), the other very close to the Lebanese-Syrian boarder on the AntiLebanon range at Ras Wadi Hajar (2629m).