Observatorio Nacional de Llano del Hato (Llano del Hato National Astronomical Observatory)

About Observatorio Nacional de Llano del Hato (Llano del Hato National Astronomical Observatory)
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Llano del Hato, Venezuela
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Astronomical Station
Moorland
Observatory
Park
Research Station
Science Museum
The Llano del Hato National Astronomical Observatory (Observatorio Nacional de Llano del Hato) is an astronomical observatory in Venezuela, run by the Centro de Investigaciones de Astronomia (CIDA). It is 3600 metres above sea level (its the third highest in the world) and comprises four telescopes, each in their own cupola or dome: a Schmidt camera, a reflecting telescope , a great refractor, and a double astrograph. It is the main observatory in Venezuela. It is situated above the village of Llano del Hato close to Apartaderos in the Venezuelan Andes, about 50 kilometres north-east of Merida City, Merida State. This facility is the closest major optical observatory to the equator lying at 8 degrees and 47.51 minutes north. It therefore has access to large parts of both the northern and southern skies. It benefits from very dark skies and its altitude of 3,600 metres (12,000 feet) above sea level means atmospheric turbulence is greatly reduced. 
It comes under the auspices of CIDA (Centro de Investigaciones de Astronomía) which is the main astronomical research body in Venezuela. CIDA conducts many projects in collaboration with other research bodies, academic institions and international bodies. It also conducts valuable research in its own right and the observatory has an impressive record, including several important discoveries. The facility has four large optical telescopes, a Zeiss refractor, a large Zeiss reflector and, for dedicated photographic applications, an Askania astrograph and an Askania Schmidt camera. These instruments were acquired by the Venezuelan government 1954 and installed at Llano del Hato in the early 1970s. There is also a museum and exhibition centre where visitors can learn about the work of the observatory and CIDA as well as astronomy in general.
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Last edited on Aug 12, 09 10:52 PM.
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1 Reviews of Observatorio Nacional de Llano del Hato (Llano del Hato National Astronomical Observatory)  
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First To Review: Gabriel Alejandro S.
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Aug 12, 2009
Many people don't know that there can be found in Venezuela, one of the highest observatories in the world. You should visit it at late hours in the afternoon (5pm/6pm) and enjoy the awesome view of the Venezuelan Andes from the complex, then have to pay the tour that tourist-guide will give you in the Observatory, which includes a visit to the museum, short-length movies about astronomy and the observatory, the visitors centre, seeing starts in a observatory's telescope and other activities that will show about the work of the Observatory. I recommend to visit it, between December and February, because you can have a clearly vision of the sky, and it's better for the stars-gazing in the observatory's telescope (Something you can't do in other season, because of the rain, snow and foggy nights). Bring your winter's clothes because there is freezing, and temperatures reach under -0 celsius and being at high altitude would help to have you the famous ''mal de paramo''
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