Kiso Observatory

On the slopes of Mt. Ontake in Japan, Kiso Observatory has spent half a century probing the universe beyond our own galaxy, using one of the country's distinctive wide-field telescopes.

About Kiso Observatory

Kiso Observatory sits at an elevation of 1,132 metres and is home to the 105 cm Schmidt Telescope, a wide-field instrument well suited to surveying large areas of sky. Since 1988 the observatory has been maintained by the Institute of Astronomy, Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo, and it remains open for use by astronomers from around the world.

History

The observatory was founded in 1974, originally as a branch of the Tokyo Astronomical Observatory, with the express objective of studying extragalactic astronomical objects.

Telescopes & research

Alongside its 105 cm Schmidt Telescope, Kiso added a fully automatic 30 cm telescope in 2002, designated K.3T (Kiso 0.3-meter Telescope). K.3T is mainly used to observe variable stars, and its automation allows astronomers to make numerous repeat observations over long periods without constant supervision.

Location & getting there

Kiso Observatory is located at Mt. Ontake in Japan, at 1,132 metres elevation, in the Asia region — a mountain setting that offers the clear, stable air valued for wide-field sky surveys.

Visiting Kiso Observatory

Kiso is a working research observatory used by astronomers worldwide; check the observatory's website for current information on visiting or observing time before planning a trip.

See your named star from here

Kiso's wide-field surveys have mapped countless corners of the sky over the decades. Add your own star to that story: name a star with Star Register and find its coordinates in our star catalogue.