Ametlla de Mar Observatory

On the Catalan coast of Spain, the Ametlla de Mar Observatory is a small but productive research station that has spent more than two decades tracking asteroids from the town of L'Ametlla de Mar.

About Ametlla de Mar Observatory

Established in 1999 and sitting at 110 metres elevation, the observatory is operated by Catalan astronomer Jaume Nomen and holds the IAU observatory code 946. It takes part in the "Unicorn Project" and the Minor Planet Astrometry group (Grup d'Estudis Astronòmics, GEA), two collaborative efforts focused on tracking asteroids and other minor planets.

History

Since its founding, the observatory has built a track record in asteroid astrometry, and the Minor Planet Center credits it with the discovery of 12 numbered minor planets between 2001 and 2002. As of the most recent published records, all twelve still carry their original provisional designations rather than formal names.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits in L'Ametlla de Mar, a coastal town in Catalonia, Spain, at an elevation of 110 metres, in the Tarragona province along the Costa Dorada.

Visiting Ametlla de Mar Observatory

As a small, privately operated research observatory, Ametlla de Mar Observatory does not appear to run public visiting hours or tours. Those interested in its work can follow updates through its website rather than planning an in-person visit.

See your named star from here

An observatory built around discovering and cataloguing new objects in the sky is a natural companion to naming a star of your own. Name a star through Star Register or browse the star catalogue to find a star with real coordinates in the same sky Jaume Nomen has spent years surveying.