About the Montsec Observatory
It is located at 1570 metres above sea level in the Montsec mountains, in the municipality of Sant Esteve de la Sarga (Lleida). This area is recognised as one of the best in Europe for astronomical observation, thanks to the combination of good weather conditions and the low level of light pollution, which provide exceptional night sky conditions.
Usually, the OdM is not open to the general public, except for scheduled guided tours. We can get there from the north side of Montsec d’Ares, taking the detour on the C-13 towards Guàrdia de Noguera and continuing until 2 km after Sant Esteve de la Sarga, where we will find the detour on the left which goes up to the Ares pass and the observatory. Also, it can be reached from the south side, taking the detour to the C-12 in Àger and travelling 16 km to the Ares pass, where we will find the last section of the road to the observatory indicated.
The municipality of Sant Esteve de la Sarga, where the OdM is located, is situated in the Pallars Jussà region, north of Montsec d’Ares. The area has a rich natural and cultural heritage, and is included in the Xarxa Natura 2000, which provides it with special protection to preserve its ecological and landscape values. The municipality has also enjoyed Starlight Reserve certification since 2013.
Coordinates
Altitude
a privileged location
Quality and protection of the sky
The area surrounding the Montsec mountain chain has the ideal conditions for astronomical observation: absence of light pollution, good atmospheric stability and a large number of nights with good weather conditions. The location of the Montsec Observatory was chosen as a result of the measures taken at the end of the 90s to validate the quality of the night skies. The most recent measurement campaigns carried out at the OdM show that the brightness of the sky background on moonless nights reaches magnitude 21.8, while the atmospheric turbulence (seeing) is below 1 arcsecond 60 % of the time.
In 2013, several municipalities around Montsec, both in the Pallars Jussà and Noguera areas, received the certification of Reserve and Tourist Destination by the Starlight Foundation.
In addition, in the same year, the minister of Territory and Sustainability signed the resolution to set the Montsec Observatory as a light quality reference point and establish the corresponding area of influence, which guarantees the preservation of the quality of the night sky in the area.
The remote location of the OdM makes the site a privileged place in terms of the lack of radioelectric interference.
This allows us to make telecommunications with very little noise. In addition, the situation of the OdM provides us with visibility of practically the entire horizon. In this way, the OdM is an ideal location for the installation of telecommunications antennas with satellites, as well as a platform for radioelectric tests. In the medium term, the objective is to position the OdM as a reference industrial teleport, in order to provide service and respond to the needs of the sector.
What can you find?
Explore the Observatory