Abdülkadir Topkaç

Abdülkadir Topkaç was a self-taught Turkish astronomer and baker, born in Sur, Diyarbakır, in 1954. He passed away on February 21, 2021, at the age of 67 in Dicle, Diyarbakır. Topkaç, who was a primary school graduate and a bakery master specializing in simit, harbored a deep passion for astronomy since his youth. His astronomical pursuits gained momentum in 1991 when he began observing lunar movements with binoculars. The following year, he acquired a Soviet-made telescope in Istanbul, which unfortunately was vandalized by the PKK. Following this incident, a social media campaign facilitated the acquisition of a new, more advanced telescope for him. In 1992, Topkaç's dedicated observations led him to conclude that the Moon's movement around Earth's orbit follows an arc. He formally submitted his study detailing these observations to NASA and the TUBITAK National Observatory. Despite his significant contributions and dedication to astronomy, his family reportedly ostracized him in 2001, believing him to be insane. Topkaç was undergoing cancer treatment at Dicle University Oncology Hospital at the time of his death.