The Crimean Observatory was the first major observatory of FSU to enter the age of astrophysics. Now the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory (CrAO) is one of the largest scientific centers in Ukraine and FSU.
CrAO possesses modern equipment for astrophysical observations over a wide spectral range from gamma-rays to meter radio waves of stars and galaxies as well as Sun and solar system. The main part of the Observatory is located in Nauchny (about 12km SE from Bakhchisaraj) at an altitude of 600 meters