Nishi-Harima Observatory
Satellite imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics
Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory sits on top of Mount Onade in Sayo Town, Japan, and is home to the largest optical telescope in the country.
About Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory
Known as NHAO, the observatory has operated as both a research facility and a public observatory under the University of Hyogo since 2012.
Telescopes & research
Its flagship instrument is NAYUTA, a Ritchey-Chrétien telescope with a 2-metre primary mirror, the largest telescope of its kind in Japan. NAYUTA is supported by an optical long-slit spectrograph and a near-infrared imager, giving the observatory a broad range of research capability.
Location & getting there
The observatory is located on the summit of Mount Onade in Sayo Town, in Japan's Hyogo Prefecture.
Visiting Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory
As a public observatory as well as a research site, NHAO welcomes visitors; check its official website for current opening hours and any tour or stargazing session details before travelling.
See your named star from here
A telescope the size of NAYUTA can resolve targets far beyond what's needed to find a single named star, but the principle is the same: right ascension and declination point the way. Look up your star's coordinates in our catalogue, or see our packages to name one.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
