Astronomical observatory

Tucked into a historic water tower in Prešov, Slovakia, this astronomical observatory has watched the sky since 1932, making it one of the country's oldest. Today it holds the status of a national cultural monument.

About the observatory

The observatory was opened privately in 1932 by JUDr. Alexej Duchoň, and in 1948 became the first folk observatory in Slovakia, housed in a converted water tower building. Two historic instruments remain in the tower to this day: a Cooke York refractor and a Zeiss equatorial, both dating from 1932, though they are no longer in active use.

History

A planetarium was added in October 1984, expanding the site's role as a specialised cultural-educational, scientific-research, and public-observation institution. Its national cultural monument status recognises Prešov's place in the history of Slovak astronomy.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located in Prešov, in the Prešov district of eastern Slovakia, within easy reach of the city centre.

Visiting the observatory

The observatory is open to visitors Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 15:00, and Saturday from 11:00 to 12:00. For current programmes and planetarium shows, contact the observatory directly at +421 51 772 2065 or check its official website before travelling.

See your named star from here

Standing beside the century-old Cooke York and Zeiss instruments, it's easy to imagine how a modern telescope here could be aimed at the coordinates of any named star. Name a star with Star Register and receive its right ascension and declination, then explore the catalogue to see the full record.