Bolivian National Observatory at Tarija
Image: Wikimedia Commons
The Bolivian National Observatory sits near Tarija, in southern Bolivia, and was built as a joint Soviet-Bolivian astrometric research station.
About the Bolivian National Observatory
The observatory was formally established on 14 April 1984, though observing work had already begun there in 1982. It was run as a cooperative project between Bolivia and the Soviet Academy of Sciences, one of relatively few professional astronomical facilities in the country.
History
Between 1982 and 1990, astronomers at the site used an astrograph to carry out Southern Hemisphere astrometry, cataloguing positions for around 200,000 faint stars and 2,822 brighter ones, and observing Halley's Comet during its 1986 return. The Soviet-Bolivian collaboration ended in 1990 when financial constraints made it impossible to continue.
Location & getting there
The observatory lies in South America, in the hills near Tarija in southern Bolivia. Use the map and directions tool on this page to plan a route from Tarija.
Visiting the Bolivian National Observatory
Public visiting arrangements aren't well documented, so anyone hoping to visit should check locally in Tarija or with Bolivian astronomy organisations before travelling out to the site.
See your named star from here
Because a named star comes with exact right ascension and declination, its position can be worked out from any observing site, including the skies above Tarija. Browse the star catalogue to see how the coordinates of a named star relate to what's visible from this part of the Southern Hemisphere.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
