The exhibition about the amateur Slovene astronomer Pavlel Kunaver was in Technical Museum of Slovenia on display from 16th September until  3rd December 2009.

As a specialist teacher of geography, history and the Slovene language as well as an educational councillor, Pavel Kunaver was a respected and acknowledged educationalist. In addition, he was also the author of articles on mountains and popular scientific works, an amateur painter, photographer, mountaineer, speleologist and karstologist, a scout, astronomer and an advocate of nature preservation and protection. He wrote 36 books across the fields mentioned above, including some translations, as well as several hundred scientific and popular articles.

At his birth, the Fates placed in Pavel Kunaver's cradle three great loves: a love of mountains, a love of the Karst and its subterranean caves and a love of stars and astronomy. In a word, he had a profound love for nature, and he was not only able to admire it, but was also able to sketch and describe it. He had yet another special ability: he was able to arouse a similar enthusiasm for his surroundings and for everything he considered instructive, interesting and beautiful, in others, particularly in young people of whom he was very fond.

Pavel Kunaver can undoubtedly be considered one of the pioneers of astronomy in Slovenia. Using both the written and spoken word, he helped spread an understanding of astronomy, particularly among school children.
He founded the first astronomical observatories in Slovenia that were created with an educational purpose; the first was at the civic school in Zgornja Šiška, Ljubljana, followed by one at the Mining Institute, the gymnasium in Šubičeva Street, on the roof of Vega plant and at the gymnasium in Šentvid.
After 1937, he performed regular astronomic observations of the Sun’s activities for many decades and delivered the information to the Zürich astronomical centre.
Kunaver wrote eight popular works on astronomy and a huge number of scientific and popular articles, most of which were published in the Proteus magazine, in daily papers as well as broadcast on the radio.

Author: Boris Kham; Co-authors: Aleksander Božič in dr. Jurij Kunaver; Project leader dr. Orest Jarh;  Photos: Aleksander Božič, Jurij Stare, Jure Dolanec in Srečko Lavbič;  Cooperator: Ludvik Jevšenak,  Design: Aljaž Vesel; Translation and lecture: Melita Silič.

Astronomical observatory at Šubič Gymnasium (today Jože Plečnik Gymnasium Ljubljana). Archive of dr. Jurij Kunaver.

'Scout' astronomical observatory in Bohinj. Archive of dr. Jurij Kunaver.

Personal objects. Photo: Andrej Guštin

Opening of the exhibition.  Photo:Andrej Guštin

More photos in the  Gallery.