Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics 

About Institute
The city of Maragheh has rich history and the observatory is one of its symbols. The Maragheh Observatory was founded on the 13th century (1259 CE) by the Ilkhanid Hulagu order and persian scientist khajeh Nasir al-din Tusi had directed it for years. During its glory time it was “the most advanced scientific institution in the Eurasian world” and became model for other observatories in Asian countries. Considering such a heritage alongside to county’s science policy, it has been decided to stablish a research center in these fields in Maragheh. Consequently, the Research Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics of Maragha (RIAAM) was founded in 2001. Since that time, it has been evolved into a center of excellence for financially supporting the fundamental researches in the fields of astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, and the history of astronomy. Due to the quality of research activities, different research projects with international partners have been conducted and various papers under the affiliation of the RIAAM published so far in the outstanding journals.
In addition to the researchers resident of the center, other researchers from the universities in the country including Shiraz, Sanaati Sharif, Shahid Beheshti, Tabriz, Mazandaran, Azarbaijan University of Shahid Madani, Kerman University of bahonar, Yasouj, Kordestan, Zanjan, Payam Nour University of Zanjan, Babol’s University of Technology, Gilan, Amir kabir University of technology, Bu Ali Sina, Isfahan’s University of Technology, Damgan and the researchers from the research institutions such as the research center of basic sciences, Izmiran research institute of Russia, France’s Kot Dazor observatory, Armenia’s Boyirkan observatory and Baku University have collaborated with this center in the form of research contracts. In 2019 the RIAAM joined the University of Maragheh.

Dean & Vice Dean

Dr. Naser Sadeghnezhad
Academic Position: Assistant Professor
Department: Theoretical & Experimental Astronomy and Astrophysics
Phone: +98 4137412222  Ext: 212
Email: nsadegh@maragheh.ac.ir
Home page: https://en.maragheh.ac.ir/Staff/Sadeghnezhad
 
Departments
Theoretical & Experimental Astronomy and Astrophysics
 
Introduction
The department of the Theoretical & Experimental Astronomy and Astrophysics in the Research Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics (RIAAM) executes theoretical and experimental researches on the astronomy and astrophysics. The principal topics of the researches include: Gravitation,  Cosmology, Gravitational Collapse, Black holes, Naked Singularities, Cosmological Models of Modified gravity, Accretion Disc ,Theoretical Astrophysics, Solar Coronal Seismology, Coronal Heating, Coronal Oscillations, Solar Physics, Data Mining, Image Processing, Complex Systems and Dark energy.
 
Head

Dr. Naser Sadeghnezhad
Academic Position: Assistant Professor
Department: Theoretical & Experimental Astronomy and Astrophysics
Phone: +98 4137412222  Ext: 212
Email: nsadegh@maragheh.ac.ir
Home page: https://en.maragheh.ac.ir/Staff/Sadeghnezhad
 
 
 
Academic Staff
 
 

Dr. Zaniar Ebrahimi Academic Position: Assistant Professor Department: Theoretical & Experimental Astronomy and Astrophysics      Phone: +984137412222 Ext: 241 Email: zebrahimi@maragheh.ac.ir Home page: https://en.maragheh.ac.ir/Staff/ZEbrahimi	Dr. Shayesteh Ghaffari Academic Position: Assistant Professor Department: Theoretical & Experimental Astronomy and Astrophysics      Phone: +984137412222 Ext: 232 Email: sh.ghaffari@maragheh.ac.ir Home page: https://en.maragheh.ac.ir/Staff/Ghaffari
Dr. Mahmoud Gholipour Academic Position: Assistant Professor Department: Theoretical & Experimental Astronomy and Astrophysics      Phone: +984137412222 Ext: 230 Email: gholipour@maragheh.ac.ir Home page:  https://en.maragheh.ac.ir/Staff/Gholipour	Dr. Akbar Jahan Academic Position: Assistant Professor Department: Theoretical & Experimental Astronomy and Astrophysics      Phone: +984137412222 Ext: 224 Email: jahan@maragheh.ac.ir Home page: https://en.maragheh.ac.ir/Staff/Jahan
Dr. Mohsen Javaherian Academic Position: Assistant Professor Department: Theoretical & Experimental Astronomy and Astrophysics      Phone: +984137412222 Ext: 238 Email: javaherian@maragheh.ac.ir Home page: https://en.maragheh.ac.ir/Staff/Javaherian	Dr. Halimeh Miraghaei Academic Position: Assistant Professor Department: Theoretical & Experimental Astronomy and Astrophysics      Phone: +984137412222 Ext: 234 Email: h.miraghaei@maragheh.ac.ir Home page:  https://en.maragheh.ac.ir/Staff/Miraghaei
Dr. Hooman Moradpour Academic Position: Associate Professor Department: Theoretical & Experimental Astronomy and Astrophysics      Phone: +984137412222 Ext: 225 Email: hn.moradpour@maragheh.ac.ir Home page:  https://en.maragheh.ac.ir/Staff/Moradpour	Dr. Naser Sadeghnezhad Academic Position: Assistant Professor Department: Theoretical & Experimental Astronomy and Astrophysics      Phone: +984137412222 Ext: 212 Email: nsadegh@maragheh.ac.ir Home page: https://en.maragheh.ac.ir/Staff/Sadeghnezhad
Dr. Amir Hadi Ziaie Academic Position: Assistant Professor Department: Theoretical & Experimental Astronomy and Astrophysics      Phone: +984137412222 Ext: 240 Email: ah.ziaie@maragheh.ac.ir Home page: https://en.maragheh.ac.ir/Staff/Ziaie

 
Research Fields
 
Astronomy, Gravitation,  Cosmology, Astrophysics, Gravitational Collapse, Black holes, Naked Singularities, Cosmological Models of Modified gravity , Accretion Disc ,Theoretical Astrophysics, Solar Coronal Seismology, Coronal Heating , Coronal Oscillations, Solar Physics, Data Mining, Image Processing, Complex Systems, Theoretical Cosmology, Modified Gravity, and Dark energy
 
History of Astronomy
 
Introduction
The Department of the History of Astronomy in the Research Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics (RIAAM) conducts textual and field researches on the history of astronomy in the ancient and medieval periods, with especial interest in Islamic astronomy and putting the main focus on the Maragha observatory. The principal topics of the researches include observational astronomy (the analysis of the observational records preserved from the medieval Middle East, northern Africa, and Andalus), mathematical astronomy (the examination of astronomical tables with canons, known as “zījes”), theoretical astronomy (non-Ptolemaic solar, lunar, and planetary models), and astronomical instrumentation.
During the 2010s, over 30 research projects have been performed in the Department, with the output of publishing one paper per research in the high-ranked international journals in the field, like Journal for the History of Astronomy, Archive for History of Exact Sciences, Historia Mathematica, Suhayl, Science in Context, etc
 
Head

Dr. Seyed Mohammad Mozafari
Academic Position: Associate Professor
Department: History of Astronomy
Phone: +984137412222 Ext: 231
Email: mozaffari@maragheh.ac.ir
Home page: https://en.maragheh.ac.ir/Staff/Mozaffari
 
Academic Staff

Dr. Seyed Mohammad Mozafari
Academic Position: Associate Professor
Department: History of Astronomy
Phone: +984137412222 Ext: 231
Email: mozaffari@maragheh.ac.ir
Home page: https://en.maragheh.ac.ir/Staff/Mozaffari
 
 
Research Fields
Observational astronomy (the analysis of the observational records preserved from the medieval Middle East, northern Africa, and Andalus), mathematical astronomy (the examination of astronomical tables with canons, known as “zījes”), theoretical astronomy (non-Ptolemaic solar, lunar, and planetary models), and astronomical instrumentation.