It wis built between 1958-1960 durin the Soviet era as the main observin steid for the Azerbaijan Naitional Academy o Sciences which is locatit 144 km away in Baku. The observatory is aboot 22 km northwast o the ceety o Shamakhi. The observatory is at 1435 m abuin sea level. It haes 150–200 clear, cloodlessnichts per year, which is the reason why the observatory wis built at this steid. It haes a total o four telescopes. Mony comets, asteroids an ither astronomical objects wur discoverit wi its telescopes.