Ostrowik Observatory

Ostrowik Observatory is the Northern Observation Station of the Astronomical Observatory of the University of Warsaw, located in the Celestynów commune around 40km south-east of central Warsaw, Poland.

About Ostrowik Observatory

The station has been officially operational since 1952 and remains an active teaching and research facility of the University of Warsaw, serving mainly educational purposes for students and staff.

History

Since opening in 1952, Ostrowik has grown into the university's primary observing station, with instrumentation upgraded over the decades to keep pace with modern astronomy.

Telescopes & research

Its main instrument is a 60cm Cassegrain telescope built by Carl Zeiss, fitted in 1991 with the first 512x512 pixel CCD camera used in Poland. The station's primary scientific project today is follow-up observation of rapidly changing brightness objects, or transients, detected by the European Space Agency's Gaia mission.

Location & getting there

Ostrowik sits at around 200 metres elevation in the Celestynów commune, roughly 40km south-east of Warsaw, in the Masovian countryside.

Visiting Ostrowik Observatory

As a university teaching and research station, Ostrowik primarily serves students and staff; check with the Astronomical Observatory of the University of Warsaw for any public visit opportunities.

See your named star from here

After you name a star with Star Register, its coordinates come with your certificate. The 60cm Cassegrain telescope at Ostrowik already tracks objects by their exact position in the sky, the same kind of coordinates that pinpoint your named star. Browse the catalogue or other observatories.