Mizusawa VERA Observatory

Mizusawa VERA Observatory, in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, is the control centre for VERA — a nationwide network of radio telescopes used to map the structure of the Milky Way with extreme precision.

About Mizusawa VERA Observatory

VERA stands for VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry. The project links four 20-metre radio telescopes across the Japanese archipelago — in Oshu City (Iwate), Satsumasendai City (Kagoshima), Ogasawara Village (Tokyo), and Ishigaki City (Okinawa) — into a single observing network spanning an effective diameter of 2,300 kilometres.

History

The VERA project began in 2000, and the network has been carrying out VLBI observations since 2004.

Telescopes & research

All four radio telescopes are remotely operated from Mizusawa Campus, which also hosts a 10-metre antenna used for performance testing and technology development, plus the VLBI Correlator that processes the combined data. Together, the network measures precise distances to Milky Way stars and star-forming regions.

Location & getting there

The control campus is in Mizusawa, Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture, in northeastern Japan. Use the map and directions on this page to plan your route.

Visiting Mizusawa VERA Observatory

Check the official website before travelling for current visitor access, as this is primarily an operating research campus rather than a public viewing site.

See your named star from here

VERA's telescopes are tuned to radio waves rather than visible light, but the precision they bring to mapping the Milky Way is a reminder of how exact a star's position can be. Once you've named a star, its coordinates are on record in the catalogue.