Yunnan-HK Observatory

High on the Gaomeigu plateau near Lijiang, Yunnan, the Yunnan-HK Observatory pairs a Hong Kong amateur astronomy society with a leading Chinese research institute in a joint wide-field sky survey.

About Yunnan-HK Observatory

Yunnan-HK Observatory is a collaboration between the Hong Kong Astronomical Society and the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory, established in 2015 as a wide-field survey research project. It sits in Yunnan, China, at an elevation chosen for its clear, dark skies.

Telescopes & research

The observatory's main instrument is a 0.45 metre wide-field telescope housed in a 4 metre dome. Since it began operating, the site has been used both for observational research, including the discovery of a magnetically active binary star system, and for fine-tuning and field-testing the observation systems themselves.

Location & getting there

Yunnan-HK Observatory is located in Yunnan province, in southwestern China, close to the wider cluster of research facilities around Lijiang that take advantage of the region's high altitude and dark skies.

Visiting Yunnan-HK Observatory

As a joint research project rather than a visitor attraction, no public opening hours are published for Yunnan-HK Observatory. Anyone with a research interest in visiting should approach the Hong Kong Astronomical Society or Yunnan Astronomical Observatory directly.

See your named star from here

A wide-field survey telescope like the one at Yunnan-HK Observatory is designed to scan large areas of sky by coordinates, the same information that comes with every star named through Star Register. Have a look at the star catalogue to find a star of your own.