Every year, Byruakan observatory receives about 5 thousand visitors, almost as much as in Soviet times, Observatory director Hayk Harutyunyan told a news conference today.

Among visitors, there are many young people and foreigners, as well as citizens of Armenia, he said.

"There's already a need for opening a special department of guides. And it's very commendable that people have not lost interest in astrophysics and observatory in general," he noted.