Alto Loa National Reserve Mano del Desierto Bosque Fray Jorge National Park Río Hurtado Gabriela Mistral Dark Sky Sanctuary Desengano State Park All Sky Automated Survey Argentine Institute of Radio Astronomy Atacama Pathfinder Experiment Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment BiSON BlackGEM Array Cagigal Observatory Chacaltaya Observatory CHASE Telescope CLASS Telescopes CTAO South (Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory South) Danish 1.54m Telescope Deep Sky Chile ExTrA Extremely Large Telescope Felix Aguilar Observatory Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope Giant Magellan Telescope GONG Telescope HAT-South HATPI Huan Tran Telescope (HTT) IRIS Telescope Jicamarca Radio Observatory KMTNet-CTIO Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Llano de Chajnantor Observatory Llano del Hato National Astronomical Observatory MASCARA-South Montevideo National Observatory MPG/ESO 2.2m Telescope NANTEN2 Observatory National Astronomical Observatory of Colombia Next-Generation Transit Survey Pico dos Dias Observatory PROMPT Telescope Rapid Eye Mount Telescope Rolf Chini Cerro Murphy Observatory SARA South Telescope Simons Observatory SOAR Telescope (Southern Astrophysical Research) SPECULOOS-South Swiss Euler Telescope TAROT-South TRAPPIST Telescope UCN 84 Telescope University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory Victor M. Blanco 4m Telescope VISTA Survey Telescope VLT Auxiliary Telescopes VLT Survey Telescope Wisconsin H-Alpha Mapper Astronomical Observatory of Cordoba (OAC) Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory Du Pont Telescope ESO 3.6m Telescope Gemini South Observatory La Plata Astronomical Observatory La Silla Observatory Las Campanas Observatory Leoncito Astronomical Complex Magellan Telescopes Malakoff Tower National Astronomical Observatory National Observatory (Observatorio Nacional) New Technology Telescope Paranal Observatory Pierre Auger Observatory Quito Astronomical Observatory SMARTS Telescopes Swope Telescope Valongo Observatory Vera C. Rubin Observatory Very Large Telescope Warsaw Telescope
Dark sky place Research or private observatory Observatory open to the public

Observatories · South America

Observatories in South America

The list has 76 observatories in South America; 24 of them welcome the public for viewing nights, tours or a visitor center. Each has its own page with what a visit is like, the telescopes and how dark its sky is.

South America on the list

Observatories
76
Open to the public
24
Astronomy clubs
3
Dark sky places
6

Highest: University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory, 5,640 m (18,500 ft)

24 observatories in South America open to the public

ObservatoryWhereWhat you can doBortle
Astronomical Observatory of Cordoba (OAC)Cordoba, ArgentinaMuseum and guided visits with night observing in Cordoba city and at Bosque Alegre station; check site for dates-
Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter ArraySan Pedro de Atacama, Antofagasta Region, ChileFree weekend visits to the ALMA Operations Support Facility by online booking; no summit access-
Cerro Tololo Inter-American ObservatoryCerro Tololo, Coquimbo Region, ChileOccasional public visits via NOIRLab programs; check site-
Du Pont TelescopeCerro Las Campanas, Atacama Region, ChileResearch site; public visits limited, by arrangement with LCO-
ESO 3.6m TelescopeLa Silla, Coquimbo Region, ChilePart of ESO La Silla public visits (Saturdays; book ahead)-
Gemini South ObservatoryCerro Pachon, Coquimbo Region, ChileOccasional organized visits via NOIRLab; no regular public night program-
La Plata Astronomical ObservatoryLa Plata, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaMuseum and guided visits with telescope viewing on scheduled evenings; check site-
La Silla ObservatoryLa Silla, Coquimbo Region, ChileFree guided visits Saturdays 10 am and 2 pm Sep-Mar; Sat and Sun 10 am Apr-Aug; book ahead-
Las Campanas ObservatoryCerro Las Campanas, Atacama Region, ChileLimited visits by prior arrangement; check site-
Leoncito Astronomical ComplexBarreal, San Juan, ArgentinaOvernight stays for up to 10 visitors with telescope observing; daytime visits and astrophotography workshops; book ahead-
Magellan TelescopesCerro Las Campanas, Atacama Region, ChileResearch site; public visits limited, by arrangement with LCO-
Malakoff Tower (historic)Pernambuco, BrazilCultural center with exhibitions and occasional astronomy workshops by Espaco Ciencia; free-
National Astronomical Observatory (historic)Bogota, Bogata, ColombiaFree 45-minute guided tour of Casa de Narino including the observatory; register 30 days ahead-
National Observatory (Observatorio Nacional)Rio de Janeiro, BrazilMuseum of Astronomy (MAST) on campus offers exhibits and public observing evenings-
New Technology TelescopeLa Silla, Coquimbo Region, ChilePart of ESO La Silla public visits-
Paranal ObservatoryCerro Paranal, Antofagasta Region, ChileFree guided visits Saturdays 10 am and 2 pm; register ahead; night visits program-
Pierre Auger ObservatoryMendoza, ArgentinaVisitor center in Malargue with exhibits and tours-
Quito Astronomical ObservatoryQuito, EcuadorMuseum open to visitors; night telescope observations-
SMARTS TelescopesVicuna, Coquimbo Region, ChileFree Saturday daytime tours of Cerro Tololo by reservation through NOIRLab/CTIO-
Swope TelescopeCerro Las Campanas, Atacama Region, ChileResearch site; public visits limited, by arrangement with LCO-
Valongo ObservatoryRio de Janeiro, BrazilPublic observing sessions and open house events-
Vera C. Rubin ObservatoryVicuna, Coquimbo Region, ChilePublic visits to Cerro Pachon by reservation through NOIRLab; spaces fill quickly-
Very Large TelescopeCerro Paranal, Antofagasta Region, ChileSeen on ESO Paranal Saturday visits-
Warsaw TelescopeCerro Las Campanas, Atacama Region, ChileResearch site; public visits limited, by arrangement with LCO-

Public nights usually start at dusk with a short talk and a turn at the eyepiece; many need tickets and cancel for clouds, so check each observatory's site on the day.

Research and private observatories in South America

ObservatoryWhereTelescopesPart of
All Sky Automated SurveyCerro Las Campanas, Atacama Region, Chile2 x 200cm robotic
Argentine Institute of Radio AstronomyBerazategui, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina
Atacama Pathfinder ExperimentSan Pedro de Atacama, Antofagasta Region, Chile12m submillimeterLlano de Chajnantor Observatory
Atacama Submillimeter Telescope ExperimentSan Pedro de Atacama, Antofagasta Region, Chile10m submillimeterLlano de Chajnantor Observatory
BiSONCerro Las Campanas, Atacama Region, Chilesolar
BlackGEM ArrayLa Higuera, Coquimbo Region, Chile3 x 65cm (up to 15 in future)La Silla Observatory
Cagigal ObservatoryDistrito Capital, Venezuela
Chacaltaya ObservatoryMount Chacaltaya, La Paz, Bolivia
CHASE TelescopeVicuna, Coquimbo Region, Chile0.5m reflectorCTIO Observatory
CLASS TelescopesCerro Toco, Antofagasta Region, Chile4 telescopes on 2 mountsLlano de Chajnantor Observatory
CTAO South (Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory South)Taltal, Antofagasta Region, Chile70 x 4m SST gamma-rayParanal Observatory
Danish 1.54m TelescopeLa Silla, Coquimbo Region, Chile1.54mLa Silla Observatory
Deep Sky ChileRio Hurtado, Chile
ExTrALa Silla, Coquimbo Region, Chile3 x 60cm RCTLa Silla Observatory
Extremely Large TelescopeCerro Armazones, Antofagasta Region, Chile39.3mCerro Armazones Observatory
Felix Aguilar ObservatoryBarreal, San Juan, Argentina
Fred Young Submillimeter TelescopeSan Pedro de Atacama, Antofagasta Region, Chile6mLlano de Chajnantor Observatory
Giant Magellan TelescopeCerro Las Campanas, Atacama Region, Chile7 x 8.4-meter segments
GONG TelescopeVicuna, Coquimbo Region, ChilesolarCTIO Observatory
HAT-SouthCerro Las Campanas, Atacama Region, Chile8 x 0.18m astrographs
HATPICerro Las Campanas, Atacama Region, Chile64-camera arrayLas Campanas Observatory
Huan Tran Telescope (HTT)San Pedro de Atacama, Antofagasta Region, Chile2.5mLlano de Chajnantor Observatory
IRIS TelescopeTaltal, Antofagasta Region, Chile0.81m infraredCerro Armazones Observatory
Jicamarca Radio ObservatoryLurigancho-Chosica, Lima, Peru
KMTNet-CTIOCerro Tololo, Coquimbo Region, Chile1.6mCTIO Observatory
Las Cumbres Observatory Global TelescopeCerro Tololo, Coquimbo Region, Chile3 x 1m roboticCTIO Observatory
Llano de Chajnantor ObservatorySan Pedro de Atacama, Antofagasta Region, Chilemultiple telescopesmulti-telescope complex
Llano del Hato National Astronomical ObservatoryLlano del Hato, Merida, Venezuela
MASCARA-SouthLa Higuera, Coquimbo Region, Chile5 x Canon cameras w/ATIK CCDLa Silla Observatory
Montevideo National ObservatoryMontevideo, Uruguay
MPG/ESO 2.2m TelescopeLa Higuera, Coquimbo Region, Chile2.2m Ritchey-ChretienLa Silla Observatory
NANTEN2 ObservatorySan Pedro de Atacama, Antofagasta Region, Chile4m millimeter waveLlano de Chajnantor Observatory
National Astronomical Observatory of Colombia (historic)Bogota, Colombia
Next-Generation Transit SurveyTaltal, Antofagasta Region, Chile12 x 0.2m roboticParanal Observatory
Pico dos Dias ObservatoryBrazopolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil
PROMPT TelescopeVicuna, Coquimbo Region, Chile6 x 0.41m Ritchey-ChretienCTIO Observatory
Rapid Eye Mount TelescopeLa Higuera, Coquimbo Region, Chile60cm Ritchey-ChretienLa Silla Observatory
Rolf Chini Cerro Murphy ObservatoryCerro Armazones, Antofagasta Region, Chilemultiple telescopesmulti-telescope complex
SARA South TelescopeVicuna, Coquimbo Region, Chile0.6m reflectorCTIO Observatory
Simons ObservatoryCerro Toco, Antofagasta Region, Chile6m + 3 xLlano de Chajnantor Observatory
SOAR Telescope (Southern Astrophysical Research)Cerro Pachon, Coquimbo Region, Chile4.1mCTIO Observatory
SPECULOOS-SouthCerro Paranal, Antofagasta Region, Chile4 x 1m RCTParanal Observatory
Swiss Euler TelescopeLa Higuera, Coquimbo Region, Chile1.2m roboticLa Silla Observatory
TAROT-SouthLa Higuera, Coquimbo Region, Chile25cm roboticLa Silla Observatory
TRAPPIST TelescopeLa Higuera, Coquimbo Region, Chile2 x 60cm roboticLa Silla Observatory
UCN 84 TelescopeTaltal, Antofagasta Region, Chile0.84m reflectorParanal Observatory
University of Tokyo Atacama ObservatorySan Pedro de Atacama, Antofagasta Region, Chile6.5mLlano de Chajnantor Observatory
Victor M. Blanco 4m TelescopeVicuna, Coquimbo Region, Chile4m reflectorCTIO Observatory
VISTA Survey TelescopeTaltal, Antofagasta Region, Chile4.1mParanal Observatory
VLT Auxiliary TelescopesCerro Paranal, Antofagasta Region, Chile4 x 1.82mParanal Observatory
VLT Survey TelescopeTaltal, Antofagasta Region, Chile2.6m Ritchey-ChretienParanal Observatory
Wisconsin H-Alpha MapperVicuna, Coquimbo Region, Chile0.6m reflectorCTIO Observatory

These sites do not run regular public viewing, or their access is not confirmed. Some hold a yearly open house; each page links to the official site.

Astronomy clubs and dark sky places in South America

Clubs bring telescopes to public star parties and welcome visitors at their meetings. See the 3 astronomy clubs in South America.

Observatories in other countries