Maiaky Observatory

Maiaky Observatory, founded in 1957 in Ukraine's Odesa Oblast, is one of two stations that make up the Odesa Astronomical Observatory. Sitting just 27 meters above sea level near the Black Sea coast, it houses an unusually wide range of instruments for its size.

About Maiaky Observatory

Maiaky Observatory is one of two observing stations run by the Odesa Astronomical Observatory, the other being Kryzhanivka. The site is equipped with five reflecting telescopes, five refracting telescopes, a catadioptric telescope, a Schmidt camera, two meteor patrol cameras, and a seven-chamber astrograph.

History

The observatory was founded in 1957. In 1981, the decameter radio telescope URAN-4 was installed at the site, adding radio astronomy to its research capabilities alongside its optical instruments.

Telescopes & research

Researchers at Maiaky work across several fields: tracking geostationary satellites, measuring the brightness of variable stars, and observing the Moon and meteors. The URAN-4 radio telescope extends this work into the radio part of the spectrum.

Location & getting there

Maiaky Observatory lies in Odesa Oblast, in southern Ukraine, at a modest elevation of 27 meters. Its low-lying, coastal setting is quite different from the mountaintop sites used by many large optical observatories.

Visiting Maiaky Observatory

As a research station of the Odesa Astronomical Observatory, Maiaky is primarily a working scientific site. Anyone hoping to visit should contact the Odesa Astronomical Observatory directly for current access arrangements.

See your named star from here

Every named star through Star Register comes with fixed coordinates, and an observatory with the right instruments - like Maiaky's reflectors and refractors - can be pointed toward that exact spot. Look up your star's position in the catalogue.