Timișoara Astronomical Observatory

Timișoara Astronomical Observatory has watched the skies over western Romania since the early 1960s, combining scientific research with a distinctive home-built dome on the edge of the city.

About Timișoara Astronomical Observatory

The observatory is a research institute in Timișoara, Romania. Its scientific programme is coordinated by the Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy, while day-to-day administration is handled by the Academy's local branch.

History

Timișoara Astronomical Observatory was founded on 7 December 1962 by Ioan Curea. The observatory building was constructed with a basement, a ground floor, and an equatorial instrument hall topped by a rotating dome, notable because both the dome and the main instrument were built using local resources in Timișoara itself.

Telescopes & research

The equatorial mount carries two optical instruments: a Cassegrain telescope with a 300/1690mm Zeiss mirror fitted with an SBIG CCD camera, used for both naked-eye observation and CCD stellar photometry, and a smaller 100/2000mm Zeiss refractor. Growing light pollution from Timișoara's expansion has made the current site less suited to sensitive observing, and there have been proposals to relocate the observatory to Muntele Mic in Caraș-Severin County.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits within Timișoara, in western Romania's Banat region, easily reached as part of the city rather than requiring a remote trip.

Visiting Timișoara Astronomical Observatory

No confirmed public opening hours are listed here, so check the observatory's own channels or the Romanian Academy's local branch before visiting, particularly if you're hoping to see the dome and instruments in person.

See your named star from here

A telescope like the one under Timișoara's dome can be aimed at precise coordinates, which is exactly what a Star Register certificate gives you. Pick a star-naming package to get your star's exact position, or browse the catalogue of stars already named.