Alnitak observatory

High in the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park in Andalusia, Spain, Alnitak Observatory sits at 1,650 metres above sea level, in the largest protected natural area in the country.

About Alnitak Observatory

Alnitak is a remote-access astronomical imaging facility built around a 0.43-metre Dall-Kirkham corrected reflector telescope. It's designed for both scientific imaging and deep-sky astrophotography, and can be operated online rather than in person.

Telescopes & research

The main telescope is paired with a 60-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor with over 87% peak quantum efficiency, plus a set of LRGB, narrowband and photometric filters covering a field of view of roughly 0.7° by 0.47°. Site testing puts seeing at around 1–2 arcseconds, with more than 200 clear nights a year and a sky brightness reading of about 21.5 on the Sky Quality Meter scale. Images are delivered in FITS format, and the site has hosted access for organisations including the British Astronomical Association.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits at 1,650 metres in the Sierra del Segura, within the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park - the largest protected area in Spain and the second-largest in Europe, far from city light pollution.

Visiting Alnitak Observatory

Alnitak operates primarily as a remote-imaging facility rather than a walk-in visitor site: astronomers reserve time on the telescope through a web-based booking system rather than observing in person. Check the official Alnitak Observatory website for current access options.

See your named star from here

Alnitak's dark, high-altitude skies and precise imaging setup make it a strong option for actually capturing a named star rather than just spotting it by eye. Look up the exact coordinates in the star catalogue, then check with Alnitak about booking imaging time.