Observatorio del Instituto de Profesores Artigas

Observatorio del Instituto de Profesores Artigas is a small astronomical observatory on the campus of the Instituto de Profesores Artigas in the La Aguada neighbourhood of Montevideo, Uruguay. Opened in 1976, it has served for decades as part of the institute's teacher-training programme, giving students hands-on experience with a real telescope.

About Observatorio del Instituto de Profesores Artigas

The observatory sits on the grounds of the Instituto de Profesores Artigas (IPA), a teacher-training institution operated by Uruguay's Council of Education Formation. Rather than a public research facility, it exists primarily to bring astronomy into the classroom, letting trainee teachers observe the sky directly as part of their studies.

History

The observatory's telescope was acquired in the late 1960s, largely through the efforts of a group of female students together with professor Gladys Vergara, who championed bringing practical astronomy to the institute. The project won backing from Uruguay's National Committee of Astronomy, the Ministry of Education and Culture, and the Universidad del Trabajo del Uruguay, and the observatory was formally inaugurated on 9 January 1976.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located in La Aguada, close to central Montevideo, on South America's Atlantic coast in Uruguay. Its city setting makes it easy to reach by public transport, though like any urban site it deals with a degree of light pollution common to capital cities.

Visiting Observatorio del Instituto de Profesores Artigas

As part of a teacher-training institute, access is generally tied to its academic programme rather than fixed public opening hours. If you would like to visit, it is best to check directly with the Instituto de Profesores Artigas before travelling.

See your named star from here

Because any telescope can be aimed at a given set of coordinates, the right ascension and declination on a Star Register certificate can, in principle, be located from an observatory like this one. Browse our star-naming packages or explore the star catalogue to find and name a star of your own.