Neil Armstrong Observatory

At the Pierre and Marie Curie School in Managua, Nicaragua, the Neil Armstrong Observatory gives students and researchers a dedicated dome for studying the night sky.

About Neil Armstrong Observatory

Completed on 1 March 2014 at a cost of around half a million US dollars, the observatory is named after Neil Armstrong in honour of the first person to walk on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. It is described as the only astronomical observatory in Latin America reserved specifically for use by scholars.

Telescopes & research

The observatory's main instrument is an 11-inch telescope capable of magnifying stellar objects between 50 and 800 times. The building itself spans two floors beneath a dome of more than 4.5 square metres: the ground floor houses a chemistry laboratory named for Irène Joliot-Curie, while the upper floor is dedicated to physics and named for Isaac Newton.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located at the Pierre and Marie Curie School in Managua, Nicaragua's capital, making it accessible as part of a visit to the city.

Visiting

As a school-based facility reserved for scholarly use, access for the general public is limited. Check with the Pierre and Marie Curie School directly for current visiting arrangements.

See your named star from here

An 11-inch telescope is more than capable of tracking down the coordinates that come with a Star Register certificate. Browse the star catalogue or see our naming packages to name a star of your own.