Telescope Aristarchos

The telescope of the National Observatory of Athens named “Aristarchos” is the largest telescope in the Balkans and the second largest in mainland Europe. It is located at the summit “Neraidorachi” of Mount Helmos at an altitude of 2,340 meters.

It was named Aristarchos in honor of the ancient Greek astronomer Aristarchus.

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Some features of the telescope include its wide field of view, which is ideal for participating in international programs, its high-quality optics that produce clear images, the ability for remote control and programmable operation via network from the Observatory’s headquarters in Athens or from other collaborating observatories in Greece or abroad, and its equipment with state-of-the-art astronomical instruments such as CCD cameras and high- and medium-resolution spectrographs.

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Helmos peak was chosen for such a modern and important project of the National Observatory of Athens because it offers operational infrastructure thanks to the nearby ski resort, which ensures easy road access, electricity, and telephone service. It does not suffer from light pollution, as major cities lie behind the mountains. It is also one of the darkest regions in Europe, the telescope is above the clouds for a large percentage of the year, and it can observe exceptionally high-quality images. In addition, the altitude (2,340 m) where the telescope is located is suitable for observing in infrared light and for researching the existence of planets in our galaxy, stellar explosions, the chemical composition, structure, and dynamics of galaxies, as well as galaxy clusters.

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The operation of the telescope is optoelectromechanical and environmentally friendly. A system has been installed to measure background levels of air pollutants and greenhouse gases—data that is highly important for environmental protection. It also provides meteorological data to the ski resort.

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The installation of the Aristarchos telescope also has an educational purpose: it can be used for training students on-site or online, for educating the public—such as schools, universities, and cultural institutions—and for offering high-quality scientific and technological services to educational and social organizations.

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The telescope has been integrated into the Pan-European Program “OPTICON”, in which the largest and most modern telescopes of Europe participate, and there is strong interest in using its mirror for scientific collaboration and research by various research institutes.

Up to now, the following institutions have shown interest in scientific cooperation and support:

• University of Sheffield, U.K.

• University of Southampton, U.K.

• University of Manchester, U.K.

• University of Patras, Greece

• Isaac Newton Group, La Palma

• Special Astrophysical Observatory, Russia

• University of Odessa, Ukraine

• University of Sofia, Bulgaria

• Astronomical Observatory of Yugoslavia