Belesta observatory
Satellite imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics
Belesta observatory, in the village of Bélesta-en-Lauragais in southwestern France, has been an active amateur research site since 1996.
About Belesta observatory
It was founded in 1996 by ADAGIO (Association pour le Développement Amateur d'un Grand Instrument d'Observation), which still owns and operates the telescopes on site. Since 2019 the land itself has belonged to the Société astronomique de France (SAF), making Belesta one of just three public observatories run by the SAF.
Telescopes & research
The observatory's main instrument is an 82cm telescope fitted with a Sbig ST8 Kaf1602E CCD camera and a red filter. Observers there carry out visual double-star measurements and record astronomical events such as stellar occultations.
Location & getting there
Bélesta-en-Lauragais sits in the Haute-Garonne department of southwestern France, within the Europe region, not far from Toulouse.
Visiting Belesta observatory
As an SAF-affiliated public observatory, Belesta is one of a small number of sites open to visitors interested in amateur astronomy. Checking with the Société astronomique de France or ADAGIO before travelling is recommended, since exact opening hours are not published here.
See your named star from here
An observatory built for precise double-star measurements and occultation timing works with exactly the kind of coordinates that come with a named star. Browse our star-naming packages or the star catalogue to name your own.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
