Reach for stars: Turkish observatory awaits astronomers for event

The Eastern Anatolian Observatory, located in Turkey’s Erzurum province, prepares to host amateur and professional astronomers during the Sky Observation Event.

The event, which will take place on July 22-24, is organized under the auspices of Turkey’s Trade and Technology Ministry, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, as well as the Erzurum Governorate, Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality, the Northeastern Anatolia Development Agency (KUDAKA), Atatürk University and Turkey’s tourism promotion and development agency.

The attendees will get a chance to visit the observatory area at an altitude of 3,170 meters (10,400 feet). Professional and amateur astronomers will also get to observe the sky and meet the stars with special equipment.

The construction of the facility began in 2012 with the support of the Astrophysics Research and Application Center at Atatürk University, also located in Erzurum.

The observatory project is one of the government's 2023 vision projects.

With a 4-meter (13-feet) mirror, the observatory has the largest telescope in Turkey and is the first of its kind to run infrared observations.