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Organization private, opened to public Location Lü, Val Müstair, Graubünden, Switzerland Coordinates 46°37.5'N, 10°22.0'E, 1935m, time zone:+1h | ||
Alpine Astrovillage Lü-Stailas (AAV Lü-Stailas) is an astronomy and astrophotography center in Lü, a tiny village in Val Müstair, canton Graubünden, Switzerland. The region provides very good astronomical sky conditions. The name Lü-Stailas combines the village name Lü and "Stailas", which means "star" in the Romansh dialect. The center was founded by two neuroscientists and amateur astronomers, Drs. Jitka and Vaclav Ourednik in 2009.
The Center lies at an altitude of 1,945 metres. The area is relatively dry, and as there is no large city close by the sky is very clear and free of light pollution. The surrounding mountains of the Alps protect the area from bad weather and excessive precipitation, creating a local continental and dry microclimate. Thanks to the relatively high altitude and absence of a larger river, foggy periods in Lü are very rare.
The center offers introductory courses in visual astronomy and astrophotography. Visitors can stay several days and work under the supervision of instructors.
The observatory is one of the projects of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve - Val Müstair - Swiss National Park.