But the challenges Abastumani faced under the Soviet Union were nothing compared to what came next. If the Soviet system had its limitations, the lawless years of independence under Edouard Shevardnadze almost led to its collapse. Tordua, who came to Abastumani in 1989 – during the waning years of the USSR – recalls the sudden shift.

“In 1989, Tordua says, “[Abastumani] was at the top of everything… more than 250 people worked here and lived with their families in this area. It was the top of functioning observatories [in the USSR].”

Then “in a few months, everything changed.” The Soviet Union fell. Georgia became independent, and the nation collapsed into chaos. Kharadze was unceremoniously dismissed against his will – Tordua recalls his extreme displeasure. “I started my thesis and suddenly everything collapsed.”

Years of chaos

Then the blackouts started. “It was horrible, terrible… We had no electricity for four months.” This not only affected the lighting at the observatory, but more worryingly for such alpine conditions, heating as well. Tordua recalls waking up to temperatures of 2 or 3 degrees Celsius. In desperation, she and her fellow scientists turned to chopping down trees from the surrounding forest to make firewood. And salaries were nothing to speak of. “There was no money. The government, they gave 300 grams of bread per day per person.”