Nayoro Kitasubaru Observatory

In addition to having a planetarium, the observatory also features a rooftop observatory plaza that provides views of Nayoro City from the second story. Visitors can use a huge telescope with a 50cm diameter mirror to see various celestial objects as well as the starry sky, which is reputed to be one of the best in Japan. Two high-definition projectors in the state-of-the-art digital planetarium display the night sky on a seamless 8-meter-diameter dome screen. Other features include an exhibition area with meteorites as well as live views from a solar telescope (during the day). The Pilika Telescope, the second-largest telescope in Japan that is accessible to the general public, was installed by Hokkaido University in 2011 and is another noteworthy feature. Its mirror diameter is 1.6 meters. To find out which specific days the telescope is accessible to the public, please check the website.

Due to measures to prevent the spread of new coronavirus infections, the observatory is open by appointment only. For details, please check the official website (information as of April 2022).