Koksijde observatory
Satellite imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics
Koksijde Observatory operates from the Duinenhuis Nature Education Centre in Koksijde, on the Belgian coast, run by local amateur astronomers.
About Koksijde Observatory
The observatory is staffed by amateur astronomers who open it to the public on select evenings and host monthly astronomy lectures on the first Friday of the month, except during July and August. A second telescope was installed on a new platform in July 2025.
Location & getting there
The site sits within the Duinenhuis Nature Education Centre in Koksijde, a coastal town in Belgium's Flemish Region, combining dune-landscape nature education with public astronomy.
Visiting Koksijde Observatory
Public evenings run October to March from 8pm to 10pm, and April to September from 9pm to 11pm, extending to 10pm-midnight in May and June. During July and August, the observatory opens Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 10pm to midnight, but not on Fridays. Monthly astronomy lectures are held on the first Friday of the month outside of July and August. Confirm current times with Duinenhuis before visiting.
See your named star from here
With regular public evenings and a newly added telescope, Koksijde Observatory is a practical place to go looking for the coordinates of a named star from Star Register. Search the star catalogue to find yours before your visit.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
