Hyogo Kenritsu Daigakutenmonkagaku Center Nishiharima Observatory

The visit was a phenomenal experience. I went there in September with my japanese friend to visit an old professor of his who works there. Eberybody was very friendly and helpful. They showed us around everywhere. The explanations at the beginning where of course in japanese but because I dont understand any of it, he explained it for me once again in quite fluent english. Same with the astronomical viewings. The event is at 7 pm. It was quite crowded that evening because of a school trip but although we watched the moon, Mars, saturn and the double stars. Plus we had a second, though small telescope outside to shorten the waiting period. The telescope is incredibly big, one of the biggest worldwide as I understood and it is indeed impressive. Once got the right direction, the parc is quite easy to find. I can only recommend. Even for foreigners! Nothing is directly translated in english but you can communicate and I promise you are very welcome. Give it a try!

Wonderful

I stayed at a family lodge to see the stars at Nayuta, a night view. Each room is air-conditioned and well-cleaned, so I was able to spend a comfortable time. A BD player is also connected to the TV, and WiFi is also available. (It's okay on rainy days) Alcohol disinfectants are also available everywhere as a measure against corona, but you will need to bring hygiene items such as towels, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Don't forget to wipe the tableware, wipe the dishes, and wrap the food. You can enter the family lodge from 16:00 and the observatory from 19:30. So, after entering the room, I prepared for a barbecue and started a fire from around 17:00, had dinner from 17:30 to 19:00, and then took a light shower and participated in the observation party. (Burning fires and fireworks are prohibited at night as they interfere with observations.) Unfortunately, due to the impact of the lightning strike that occurred in July 2020, Nayuta was unable to operate, and instead it was observed with a 60 cm telescope. (Recovery time unknown)

I went to Sunday, September 27, 2020. Regarding access, from the east side, you will enter the north side of the Chugoku Expressway. It was a little narrow road without the Chuo Line, so I accidentally went too far. After that, there is a guide board so you won't get lost. Two observation dome can be seen from the Astronomical Observatory parking lot, which is exciting. Currently, due to the influence of the new corona, we cannot participate in observation events other than guests, but we can see the 60 cm and 2 m reflecting telescopes up close. However, there is no one who can guide me. Souvenirs are sold at the Astronomical Taipei Pavilion, and there is a 60 cm telescope on the upper floor. There is a 2m telescope on the upper floor of the observatory south building. Both are reflecting telescopes, so when you think of a telescope, the general public may think of it as a large cylinder, but it is not that shape. Also, the 2m one has a lot of electronic parts attached to the bottom, and I'm interested in it as a great technology. In the South Building, many materials related to observations and space are posted on the wall of the stairs going upstairs. I couldn't understand some of them because they were full of technical terms, but I could feel the atmosphere. There are two routes for the stairs, so it is recommended to change the route by climbing and descending.

I can't see a cloudy day! ️Let's go on a sunny day! ️