[1][2] The world-renowned Greek-Austrian astronomer Georgios Konstantinos Vouris lobbied to create the National Observatory of Athens in the newly founded state.

The King also selected the architects for the building under Georgios Konstantinos Vouris's supervision, which were Eduard Schaubert and Theophil Hansen.

[6] After Schmidt, Demetrios Kokkidis briefly directed the observatory and expanded the existing weather stations adding new ones in Corfu, Zakynthos, and Larissa.

[9] Eginitis and Plakidis allowed a young twenty-two-year-old astronomer named Jean Focas to assist them at the observatory.

Vouris eventually moved to Greece, becoming a professor at the newly founded University of Athens and he wanted to build an observatory in the country.

Sinas expressed his intention to make a donation for scientific development in Greece and the Athens Observatory was founded a few years later with Vouris as its first director.

[12] The Observatory of Athens foundation ceremony was on June 26, 1842, the day of a Solar Eclipse, and it was a magnificent official event with the King of Greece, members of the Government, and the Greek Church being all present.

Following the panegyric speech by professor Georgios K. Vouris, the foundation stone was set under musical sounds and cannonade by a Danish frigate anchored at the port of Piraeus.

He chose a 7.5-inch dialyte refracting telescope (19-cm aperture , 190cm focal length, f/10) made by Simon Plössl of Vienna, Austria.

He conducted scientific work in the field of astrophysics, astronomy, and geodesy, publishing articles periodically in Astronomische Nachrichten.

[15] He made specific observations of Mars with the Athens Meridian Circle and his research was used by American astronomer James Melville Gilliss.

[20][21] The Topographical Chart of the Moon (Chaptre der Gebirge des Mondes) published in Berlin, is his main work.

In an area of two meters diameter, consisting of 25 parts and representing the visible surface of the Moon, there are about 30,000 craters drawn as observed with the 7.5 inch Plössl telescope.

The astronomer was able to write articles in the field of astronomy and expand the existing weather stations adding ones in Corfu, Zakynthos, and Larissa.

[7] The Greek Parliament passed a special law on June 19, 1890, making the Athens Observatory a government research facility.

Because of the economic situation in Greece, government aid was very limited but Eginitis organized a national committee that collected considerable funding and donations from the local Greek community.

[26] The Thiseio site of the Observatory was expanded, a neighboring area was purchased and three new buildings were erected with the newly raised funding.

[30] Stavros Plakidis attended the School of Physics and Mathematics at the University of Athens and graduated in 1915 one of his professors included Demetrios Eginitis.

[31] While in Cambridge he collaborated with professor Sir Arthur Eddington on a paper in 1929 entitled Irregularities of the Period of Long-Period Variable Stars .

[10][9] In 1935, after the death of Eginitis, Plakidis was elected Professor at the University of Athens and at the same time was nominated Supervisor of the Astronomical Department of NOA.

with solar and lunar cameras, Herschel and Colzi prisms, were moved to the laboratory of astronomy belonging to the university or to the national observatory hidden from the Nazis.

In 1955, because of Professor Plakidis's long collaboration on long-period variable stars with Sir Arthur Eddington the instrument was donated to the National Observatory of Athens and moved to the Penteli Astronomical Station.