Abbey Ridge Observatory
Satellite imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics
Abbey Ridge Observatory is a robotic astronomical facility located in Stillwater Lake, Nova Scotia, Canada, approximately 23 kilometres west of Halifax. Constructed in 2003 and owned by Dave Lane, it is one of only three robotic observatories worldwide capable of fully automated remote control via email and Mastodon.
About Abbey Ridge Observatory
The observatory houses a Celestron C14 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope mounted on a Losmandy Titan German equatorial mount, equipped with an SBIG ST8XME CCD camera, dual filter wheels with nine effective filters, and sky condition monitoring equipment. This configuration enables high-quality astrophotography and scientific observations.
Remote Observation Network
Abbey Ridge Observatory stands out for its unique remote control capabilities. Observers worldwide can control the telescope remotely using email commands or Mastodon integration, along with a dedicated Communicator App. This makes the facility accessible to researchers and educators regardless of location.
Location & Getting There
Positioned on the granite ridge overlooking Elbow Lake along Abbey Road in Stillwater Lake, the observatory benefits from Nova Scotia's relatively dark skies. The facility is situated approximately 40 kilometres west of Halifax, in the Maritime province known for stargazing opportunities.
Observing Your Named Star
The C14 telescope at Abbey Ridge can be directed to any sky coordinates to observe your named star. Contact the observatory or visit our star-naming packages and star catalogue to register a star and obtain its precise coordinates for observation.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
