Observatorio de La Cañada
Image: Wikimedia Commons
High above Ávila in central Spain, at 1,400 metres elevation, the privately owned Observatorio de La Cañada has spent over two decades tracking near-Earth objects, asteroids, and comets.
About Observatorio de La Cañada
Founded in 2002 by Juan Lacruz, who owns and runs the observatory, La Cañada joined the International Astronomical Union's observation network with its first astrometric observations that same summer. It holds Minor Planet Center code J87.
Telescopes & research
The observatory's main instrument is a 0.41 m f/10 Ritchey-Chrétien telescope paired with a CCD camera, used for astrometric observations and the ongoing monitoring of near-Earth objects, asteroids, and comets.
Location & getting there
Observatorio de La Cañada sits at 1,400 metres elevation near Ávila, in the Castile and León region of central Spain - an altitude that suits its work tracking faint, fast-moving objects.
Visiting Observatorio de La Cañada
As a privately owned research observatory focused on near-Earth object monitoring, it is not run as a public visitor attraction; anyone interested should check its official website before assuming a visit is possible.
See your named star from here
A research-grade 0.41 m telescope like this one is capable of resolving the coordinates of a star named through Star Register in principle, even if public visits aren't the observatory's focus. Check your star's exact position in the catalogue, and browse the observatories directory for sites nearby that do welcome visitors.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
