Calar Alto Observatory

Perched at 2,168 metres in Spain's Sierra de Los Filabres, Calar Alto Observatory is home to the largest telescope on the European mainland and a research programme spanning exoplanets to cosmology.

About Calar Alto Observatory

Calar Alto Observatory sits atop Calar Alto, a 2,168-metre mountain in the Sierra de Los Filabres in Almeria province, Spain. Until 2018 it was run jointly by the German Max Planck Institute for Astronomy and Spain's Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC); since 2019 the Andalusian regional government has shared operation of the site with CSIC.

History

Originally known as the German-Spanish Astronomical Centre, Calar Alto grew into one of the most productive observatories in continental Europe, and the minor planet 189202 Calar Alto, discovered at nearby Starkenburg Observatory in 2003, was named in its honour.

Telescopes & research

Calar Alto's 3.5-metre telescope is the largest on mainland Europe, outsized only by three larger instruments on the Spanish island of La Palma. Its telescopes are used across a wide range of astronomy, from Solar System objects to cosmological surveys such as ALHAMBRA and CALIFA, and the search for exoplanets through the CARMENES survey.

Location & getting there

The observatory is in Almeria province in Andalusia, Spain, on a mountain in the Sierra de Los Filabres subrange of the Sierra Nevada.

Visiting Calar Alto Observatory

Since 2016, Calar Alto has opened to public visits organised through Azimuth Education and Scientific Tourism, with guided tours booked in advance. A typical visit runs about two hours and includes a talk on the observatory's work and a look inside one of the telescope buildings, usually the 3.5-metre dome; visits usually take place at weekends and aren't recommended for children under 8. The observatory also runs public stargazing nights using its 1.23-metre telescope, with at least 24 nights guaranteed each year.

See your named star from here

With Europe's largest mainland telescope and a dedicated public stargazing programme, Calar Alto is a strong candidate for actually seeing your named star. Look up its coordinates in the star catalogue, then mention them when booking a public night, or name a star before you go.