The world's most impressive astronomical observatories

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

Located in some of the most remote places on the planet, astronomical observatories aren't the easiest places to reach. Furthermore, many are set at altitudes thousands of meters above sea level. Yep, stargazing is an out-of-the-way science for most of us. But if you're curious, there's another way of reaching for the stars.

Browse this gallery and take a stellar tour of some of the best spots on Earth to observe the night sky.

La Silla Observatory, Chile

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

An astronomical observatory located at the edge of the Atacama Desert, La Silla is set in one of the driest and most isolated places in the world.

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

Located far from sources of light pollution, scientists are able to enjoy one of the darkest night skies on Earth.

Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

Perched at the top of Kitt Peak in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert, this observatory boasts 22 optical and two radio telescopes—the largest and most diverse gathering of astronomical instruments in the Northern Hemisphere.

Mauna Kea Observatories, USA

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

Located at the summit of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano on Big Island, Hawaii, are several astronomical research facilities and large telescope observatories.

Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

Located at Coonabarabran in New South Wales, this facility was formerly known as the Anglo-Australian Observatory.

Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

Noted as the second-best location for optical and infrared astronomy in the Northern Hemisphere after Mauna Kea, this observatory is on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands.

South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

The national center for optical and infrared astronomy in South Africa, this observatory's primary telescopes are located in Sutherland.

Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

A huge radio telescope sunk into a lush, hilly landscape, Arecibo is operated by the University of Florida.

Indian Astronomical Observatory, India

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

Set in the country's remote Ladakh region, this observatory has one of the world's highest sites for optical, infrared, and gamma-ray telescopes.

Royal Observatory, Scotland

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

Established in Edinburgh in 1896, this hallowed astronomical institution carries out research and university teaching.

Griffith Observatory, USA

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

A popular Los Angeles tourist attraction, the Griffith Observatory houses a planetarium that was used to train WWII pilots in celestial navigation and, later, Apollo program astronauts.

Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

Staying with the stargazing theme, do you remember the 1997 movie 'Contact,' when Jodie Foster's character detected an alien signal? It was filmed here.

Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

Clustered in northern Chile's Atacama Desert are 66 radio telescopes constructed on the 5,000-m (16,000-ft) elevation Chajnantor plateau.

South Pole Telescope, Antarctica

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

This facility is based at one of the most extreme locations on the planet—the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station.

Very Large Telescope, Chile

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

The Very Large Telescope (VLT) facility is located on the Cerro Paranal mountain in the Atacama Desert.

Sydney Observatory, Australia

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

Inaugurated in 1859, this heritage-listed astronomical observatory and meteorological station functioned until the early 1980s.

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

Today, this fully-restored Sydney landmark serves as a museum and cultural venue.

Yerkes Observatory, USA

La Silla Observatory, Chile, Kitt Peak National Observatory, USA, Mauna Kea Observatories, USA, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain, South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa, Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico, Indian Astronomical Observatory, India, Royal Observatory, Scotland, Griffith Observatory, USA, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, USA, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, South Pole Telescope, Antarctica, Very Large Telescope, Chile, Sydney Observatory, Australia, Yerkes Observatory, USA

Founded in 1897, this observatory, located at Williams Bay, Wisconsin was regarded as "the birthplace of modern astrophysics."

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