Space observation in Almaty region -
Excursion to Assy-Turgen Observatory from Almaty city -
Assy-Turgen is a high-mountain observatory, offering visitors to look at the mountain steppe, the stars and study outer space, and at the same time visit the mountains and the high-mountain plateau of Assy. The observatory (ATO), built in 1981, conducts astronomical observations for the Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute and is located at an altitude of 2750 meters above sea level. High transparency of the atmosphere on the Assy plateau, as well as the absence of light pollution and turbulence create an ideal astro-climate for observing the stars. By 1991, the institute had built two telescope towers, a 1-meter telescope and several hotel facilities. The 1-meter telescope of the Assy-Turgen Observatory is used to study Herbig Ae / Be, symbiotic stars and binary systems with X-ray components.
How to get there, visit -
The Assy-Turgen Observatory is located 75 kilometers from Almaty in the Zailiyskiy Alatau Mountains on the highland Asy plateau, Enbekshikazakh district, Almaty region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 43°13'32"N 77°52'18"E
Information -
At the Assy-Turgen Observatory, the Fesenkov Institute began installing the 1.5-meter reflector telescope AZT-20, completing its dome and construction by the early 1990s, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, construction was suspended and it was not resumed until 2014. AZT-20 was finally equipped with an Apogee UV42 ultraviolet camera, allowing the observatory to really take advantage of its altitude. Scientists saw the telescope work for the first time in October 2016 and put it into test operation on July 27, 2017. The telescope is one of the largest in the world. The institute plans to install new telescopes serving scientific organizations and universities at Assy-Turgen Observatory. In the near future, it is planned to modify the existing optical system of the telescope and equip it with a quartz-fluorite focus reducer, which will increase its field of view by more than four times.
Tourists can take a one-day or two-day guided tour to Assy-Turgen Observatory to see the observatory, go there on a tour and watch the stars and enjoy the nature of the Asy plateau, as it is also an incredibly beautiful place to visit. In late spring and summer, the Asy plateau offers mountainous landscapes and vast green pastures that stretch to the Bartogay reservoir. In past centuries, it was a waypoint for trade caravans from Europe to China and India. The road to the observatory goes through the Turgen gorge, one of the favorite Sunday rest spots among locals. The valley offers a wide range of activities, including a trout farm, an ostrich farm, an open-air museum, the Issyk mounds and much more. The famous Turgen waterfalls are also a two-hour drive away.
Sights of the Turgen Gorge:
Turgen Gorge
Turgen River
Trout Farm
Medvezhiy Waterfall
Kairaksky Waterfall
Chin-Turgen Gorge
Chin-Turgen Moss Spruce Forests
Asy Plateau
Asy River
Assy-Turgen Highland Observatory in Almaty Region
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