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RussiaWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
Zelenchuk Observatory - the largest operating Observatory in Russia and one of the most significant in the world. It was founded in the USSR in 1966 in the mountainous region of Karachay-Cherkessia near the village of Nizhny Arkhyz, because there are very good conditions for observing the stars with a telescope: clear air and many clear days a year. For this purpose, the world's largest optical telescope with a mirror diameter of 6 meters (now the second in the world) and a radio telescope with an antenna of 600 meters were built here.
Today, this astronomical laboratory can be visited by any tourist with a sightseeing tour, which begins at the allotted time when the group is assembled. During the tour, tourists will be taken to the tower with an optical telescope, told about the principle of its operation, the history of its creation.
In addition to a simple visit, a special night excursion with stargazing through the CELESTRON telescope with a lens diameter of 280mm and 660x magnification is also possible. The cost of such an excursion for 10 people is 5000 rubles. Record it daily, until 19.00, by Phone. 8(928) 3949139.
🕐 Working hours
excursions are only available for groups of 10 or more on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 09:00 to 15:00.
💵Entrance fee / ticket price
the cost of the sightseeing tour is 200 rubles for adults, 100 rubles for children.
🚶 How to get there
the observatory is located in the village of Nizhny Arkhyz, 25 kilometers from Arkhyz (Zelenchuk Observatory on the map. It is better to get there by your own transport, taxi or with a tour. You need to get to the turn to the village of Nizhny Arkhyz from the main road, and there you will come up against a barrier and a checkpoint. At the checkpoint you will need to inform the purpose of the visit and register in the Journal, and then you will receive instructions to enter the territory, first you need to pass through the barrier into the village, for which you must present documents for recording in the journal at the checkpoint. After a few tens of meters after the barrier there will be an entrance directly to the territory of the archaeological complex, where you need to buy a ticket, and go further through the territory.
Visiting by public transport is impossible, since from the barrier at the entrance to the village to the telescope is still about 15 kilometers on the way up.
For more information about the visit and phone numbers for ordering excursions, see the Observatory's website https://www.sao.ru.