Mamalluca Observatory Tour

The skies above the Elqui Valley are astoundingly clear for more than 300 days each year. This makes the valley one of the top spots on the globe for astronomical observation. The top observatories offer expensive, technical daytime tours for astronomy aficionados. But, the Mamalluca Observatory just outside of Vicuña provides all visitors with the chance to look at the valley’s pristine night sky through some very nice equipment.

The observatory offers two tours: the Basic Astronomy tour, which pairs explanations of astronomical scientific findings with an observation session through the observatory’s telescope, and the Andean Cosmovision tour, which looks at the sky through the eyes of the ancient civilizations to the tune of traditional Andean music.

Arrange departures for both tours from the downtown office. Visitors can take their own vehicle, but they must follow in convoy. The shuttle costs CLP 1.500.

Departure Hours:

Basic Astronomy: 8:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., 12:30 a.m., 2:30 a.m.

Andean Cosmovision: 9:15 p.m., 11:15 p.m., 1:15 a.m., 3:15 a.m.

Location:
Cerro Mamalluca office: Gabriela Mistral 260

Vicuña, Chile

Other Activity Types:
Astronomy

Contact Information:
Phone: (51) 411352
Fax: (51) 209138 or 411255
E-mail: reserves (at)remove-this.mamalluca.org

By Lauren Yero

I am a recent liberal arts graduate who travels as a compulsion. I have lived in several regions of the US as well as briefly abroad in England and...

Created: 28 Sep 2008

Updated: 02 Jul 2009

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