Altitude 410 m (1,350 ft) IST-60 Cassegrain telescope | Established May 19, 2002 | |
Location Radar Tepesi, Ulupınar, Çanakkale, Turkey Website physics.comu.edu.tr/english/caam T-122 Cassegrain-Nasymth telescope Organization Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University | ||
The ÇOMÜ Ulupınar Observatory (UPO) (Turkish: Ulupınar Gözlemevi) is a ground-based astronomical observatory, which was established in 2001 and formally opened on 19 May 2002. It is also known as Çanakkale Observatory or the University Observatory. The Ulupınar Observatory is part of the Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (ÇOMÜ) Faculty of Science and Arts.
The observatory is located at an altitude of 410 m (1,350 ft) on the southern slope of the Radar Tepesi in Ulupınar village 10 km (6.2 mi) south-east of downtown Çanakkale and 5 km (3.1 mi) from the university's main campus. The observatory and its research center premises include a library, a workshop, a classroom, a conference hall and living quarters for night observing astronomers.
Ulupınar Observatory began its activity with a donated 0.40m telescope. It has expanded to a facility having seven telescopes operated by 30 scientists. There are three computer-controlled optical telescopes with several other instruments including the biggest telescopes in Turkey, among them a 1.22m telescope made in Germany. There is also an automated meteorological station fully active at the observatory.