Observatório Astronômico do Sertão de Itaparica
Satellite imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics
The Astronomical Observatory of the Sertão de Itaparica, known as OASI, sits in the municipality of Itacuruba in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, roughly 480 km from Recife.
About OASI
OASI was established in 2011 as part of the IMPACTON project (Iniciativa de Mapeamento e Pesquisa de Asteroides nas Cercanias da Terra do Observatório Nacional), Brazil's initiative to map and study near-Earth asteroids. The observatory saw first light on 17 March 2011 and is internationally credentialed by the International Astronomical Union.
Telescopes & research
Its main instrument is a 1.003-metre parabolic mirror telescope with an f/3 focal ratio — the second largest telescope in Brazil. The telescope was built in Germany at a cost of around R$1 million and can be operated remotely from the National Observatory in Rio de Janeiro. Research at OASI focuses on the physical properties of small solar system bodies, including near-Earth asteroids and potentially hazardous objects.
Location & getting there
OASI sits at an elevation of 390 metres in the Sertão de Itaparica region of Itacuruba, Pernambuco, in northeastern Brazil.
Visiting OASI
As a specialised research facility, visiting arrangements are not widely publicised; check with the IMPACTON project website before planning a trip.
See your named star from here
OASI's telescope is built to track precise coordinates across the sky in its search for asteroids — the same kind of coordinates that come with every star named through Star Register. Name a star or browse the catalogue.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check the official website and Google Maps for current times before you travel.
