Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Guadeloupe

On the slopes above Gourbeyre in Guadeloupe, the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory keeps a constant watch on La Soufrière volcano and the earthquakes of the surrounding Lesser Antilles.

About the observatory

Known as the Observatoire Volcanologique et Sismologique de la Guadeloupe, or OVSG, the site is run by France's Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP), a major research institution. It monitors La Soufrière's geophysical and geochemical activity as well as regional seismicity linked to the Lesser Antilles subduction zone.

History

Systematic observations at Guadeloupe began in 1950, and the observatory was formally established in 1977. It moved in 1989 to its current site at Le Houëlmont, about nine kilometres southwest of its original location, to improve data reception and safety. Its seismic network has used radio telemetry since 1975.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits at Le Houëlmont, Gourbeyre, on Basse-Terre, the mountainous western half of Guadeloupe, in the French Caribbean.

Visiting

As a working scientific monitoring station, the observatory is not set up as a general tourist attraction; anyone hoping to visit should check with IPGP directly before travelling.

See your named star from here

The observatory's instruments are tuned to earthquakes and volcanic tremors rather than starlight, but a star named through Star Register can be found from Guadeloupe or anywhere else using its coordinates. Take a look at the catalogue to see how it works.