Iran National Observatory - Iran National Observatory telescope, Astronomical observatory in Josheqaneqali, Iran
The Observatoire National d'Iran - Télescope de l'observatoire national d'Iran is an astronomical observatory built on Mount Gargash, near Josheqaneqali, Iran. It houses a Ritchey-Chrétien telescope with a mirror over 3 meters wide, along with a camera system called INOLA and a dedicated weather monitoring station.
The site on Mount Gargash was selected after scientists compared several mountain locations across the country looking for the clearest skies. The observatory opened in 2021, and the first images from its telescope were taken in October 2022.
The observatory sits on Mount Gargash, far from city lights, which makes the night sky unusually clear from this spot. It also welcomes students and young researchers who come here for hands-on training in astronomy.
The site sits at high altitude on a mountain, so warm clothing is recommended, especially for evening visits. Daytime visits to the grounds are sometimes possible, but checking in advance is a good idea if you want to attend an observation session.
The telescope's mirror is held in place by a system of tiny motors that keep it perfectly shaped throughout the night, even as temperatures shift. The INOLA camera was built specifically to detect very faint objects, such as old stars or debris from distant planets, that other instruments would miss entirely.
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