Eta Carinae observatory

In the wooded hills of Villa Serrana, in Uruguay's Lavalleja department, the Eta Carinae Observatory has spent decades introducing visitors to astrophotography and the southern night sky.

About Eta Carinae Observatory

The observatory takes its name from Eta Carinae, one of the most massive and unstable stars known, visible from the southern hemisphere. It was founded by the Uruguayan Astronomical Foundation, at the initiative of Gonzalo Vicino.

History

Eta Carinae Observatory was inaugurated in September 1997. Since then it has run annual Amateur Astronomy Workshops led by Vicino, and it hosts an Amateur Astronomer Day each January that draws sizeable crowds interested in astrophotography and observing.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits in Villa Serrana, a hilly, forested settlement in the Lavalleja department of central-eastern Uruguay, a landscape valued for its darker rural skies away from city lights.

Visiting Eta Carinae Observatory

Public opening times can vary with the season and events calendar - current listings show the observatory closed outside scheduled workshops, so it's worth confirming dates before travelling, particularly around the January Amateur Astronomer Day.

See your named star from here

An observatory named for one of the sky's most famous stars is a fitting place to think about your own. Look up your named star's coordinates in the Star Register catalogue, or start a naming through one of our packages.