Provencal Baronnies Observatory

In the hills of the Pays du Buëch, the Provencal Baronnies Observatory near Moydans in France's Hautes-Alpes has grown since 2013 into a working research and teaching site for amateur and professional astronomers alike.

About Provencal Baronnies Observatory

Founded in 2013, the observatory sits at around 800 metres above sea level and combines a control room with photometry equipment, giving it the tools for serious variable-star and asteroid work rather than casual stargazing alone.

History

The observatory was established in 2013 in the Pays du Buëch area of the Hautes-Alpes, purpose-built as a high-tech facility rather than converted from an older site.

Telescopes & research

Programmes here focus on exoplanets, variable stars, asteroids, light pollution monitoring, and space surveillance. The observatory also offers online telescope access, letting researchers and students collect data remotely.

Location & getting there

The site lies near Moydans in the Hautes-Alpes, in the Pays du Buëch region of southeastern France, at an elevation that keeps the surrounding hills dark and the air steady for observing.

Visiting Provencal Baronnies Observatory

The observatory is open year-round and welcomes visitors through discovery visits, internships, dome evenings and dedicated "starry nights," which run most intensively in July and August. Overnight stays are also possible for those who want a full night under the stars. Check the observatory's official website for current dates before travelling.

See your named star from here

Because programmes at the Provencal Baronnies Observatory already track faint variable stars and asteroids, the same instruments can, with prior arrangement, be turned toward the coordinates of a star named through Star Register. Choose a naming package or look up your star in the catalogue first.