Zeds Astronomical Observatory

In the DHA neighbourhood of Lahore, Pakistan, Zeds Astronomical Observatory has grown from a decade of private stargazing into one of the country's best-known hubs for amateur astronomy.

About Zeds Astronomical Observatory

Zeds Astronomical Observatory was founded by amateur astronomer and school administrator Umair Asim, who named it after his mother, Zahida. It began as a private facility in 2004 and opened to the public a decade later, in 2014.

History

After ten years of private operation, Zeds opened its doors to the public in 2014 and has since become a gathering point for Lahore's amateur astronomy community, hosting the monthly meetings of the Lahore Astronomical Society (LAST).

Telescopes & research

The observatory's main instrument is a Celestron C14 telescope, mounted on a Losmandy Titan mount and controlled with a Gemi computer system. Members of the Lahore Astronomical Society working through Zeds have contributed more than 300 observations to the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) and other international organisations.

Location & getting there

Zeds Astronomical Observatory is located in Phase 3 of DHA, a residential district of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, making it one of the more easily reached amateur observatories in the country.

Visiting Zeds Astronomical Observatory

The observatory runs guest lectures, public outreach programmes and free night-sky viewing sessions, alongside the monthly LAST meetings. Check the observatory's social media pages for the current schedule before visiting.

See your named star from here

Members here regularly track variable stars and other objects by precise coordinates, the same information provided with every star named through Star Register. Browse the star catalogue to find a star to name and, perhaps, one day view from Lahore.