Mitaka (The headquaters)
The visitors are welcome to observe open facilities freely and no reservations are needed basically. Our campus are opened every day except for the year-end and New-Year holidays Dec. 28-Jan. 4. It would take about one hour to visit all the main spots for public visitors. A guide will attend at the Observatory History Museum on Saturdays, Sundays and National holidays or during the summer and spring vacation.
Cumpus Map
Daily Open
Opening Hours
10:00 - 17:00 (last admission 16:30)
Open Facilities
- The First Dome and Solar 8-inch Refractor (*)
- Solar Tower Telescope (Einstein Tower) (*)
- 65-cm refractor (Observatory History Museum) (*)
- Old library
- Repsold Transit Instrument and Its Housing
- Gautier Meridian Circle
- Photoelectric Meridian Circle
- Exhibition Room (models of Subaru telescope, the 45meter Radio Telescope in Nobeyama, ALMA , TAMA300 and other displays)
The facilities marked (*) are designated as tangible cultural properties.
About Group Visit, guide tour, and so on
In the cases listed below, please contact our staff two weeks before the visiting.
- A group consists of 20 and over. / Regular open course
- Visitors request a tour guide. / Regular open course
- Visitors request a tour of facilities excluded from the regular open course.
You should send us a message on contact page.
Star Gazing Party
Star Party for the public is held at the Mitaka Campus of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, on Friday before the 2nd Saturday and the 4th Saturday in every month.
» More info (Star Gazing Party Web site)
Open House Day
Once a year (in autumn) the Open House Day is held. You can visit observation and experimental facilities that are not open to the public regularly. Also, we provide special lectures, exhibition on the latest results of astronomy, an stamp rally enjoyed with your family, and many other programs. If the sky is clear, you will be able to participate in Stargazing using the telescope for Social Education.