Photo: ESO/Sergio Dalle Ave & Roberto Ragazzoni (INAF-OAPD), CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Museum
Asiago Astrophysical Observatory
Italian astronomical observatory
At a glance
- Type
- Museum
- Elevation
- 1,045 m above sea level
- Protection
- Italian national heritage
- Coordinates
- 45°51′59″ N, 11°31′34″ E
- Address
- Via Osservatorio, 8 - 36012 Asiago (VI)
History and description
The Asiago Astrophysical Observatory (Osservatorio Astrofisico di Asiago, or Asiago Observatory for short) is an Italian astronomical observatory (IAU code 043) owned and operated by the University of Padua. Founded in 1942, and for a long time the biggest telescope in Europe, it is located on the plateau of Asiago, 90 kilometers northwest of Padua, near the town of Asiago. Its main instrument is the 1.22-meter Galilei telescope, currently used only for spectrometric observations.
The observatory saw the construction of a 1:1 scale model of the European Extremely Large Telescope's primary mirror.
Cima Ekar Observing Station
The nearby Cima Ekar Observing Station (Italian: Stazione osservativa di Asiago Cima Ekar) is located approximately 3.8 kilometers to the southeast on Mount Ekar, and hosts the biggest optical telescope on Italian soil. It has the observatory code 098. Cima Ekar also participates in the Asiago-DLR Asteroid Survey, a prominent international dedicated programme to search and follow-up asteroids and comets, with special emphasis on near-Earth objects.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Asiago Astrophysical Observatory».
Timeline
- 1942Opened
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Photos
Getting there
Carpanè - ValstagnaTrain, nearest
10.5 km as the crow flies
Asiago Astrophysical ObservatoryVia Osservatorio, 8 - 36012 Asiago (VI)
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore museums in Veneto
- Free 1st Sunday
- Free 1st Sunday
- UNESCO
Frequently asked questions
Where is Asiago Astrophysical Observatory?
Asiago Astrophysical Observatory is in Asiago, in the province of Vicenza (Veneto), Italy. Address: Via Osservatorio, 8 - 36012 Asiago (VI). GPS coordinates: 45.86630, 11.52608.
What else is there to see near Asiago Astrophysical Observatory?
Nearby you’ll find: Military shrine of Asiago (1 km away), Patrizio Rigoni Naturalistic Museum (1.4 km away), Museo della Grande Guerra 15 - 18 (3.8 km away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 6 photos
- Children building an E-ELT mirror — ESO/Sergio Dalle Ave & Roberto Ragazzoni (INAF-OAPD), CC BY 4.0
- Astrophysical Observatory of Asiago 2023 — Stellina05, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The 122cm telescope of the Asiago Astrophysical Observatory — Nordavind, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1.22m Galilei telescope at Asiago observatory — 罗放, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lina Tomasella at the Galileo 1.22m Telescope in Asiago — SN1968B, CC BY-SA 4.0
- OsservatorioAstronomicoAsiago — G.F.S.. Original uploader was G.F.S. at it.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences