NATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY OF JAPAN (NAOJ) - MIZUSAWA CAMPUS

The Tokyo Astronomical Observatory was established in June 1888 and established in 1899 at the Mizusawa site. In 1914, it was the turn of the Mitaka site to host a science campus. From 1920 to 1929, various telescopes and astronomical glasses were installed. However, it was not until after the war that the observatory began to publish its first astronomical ephemerides, as well as scientific almanacs. From the 1960s onwards, other observatories were built throughout the country until 1988, exactly a century after the establishment of the first Japanese observatory, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, better known worldwide as the NAOJ. Just like many other nations wishing to be at the forefront of astronomy research, Japan does not stop at its national borders to build observatories... It is therefore only logical that in January 1999, the giant Subaru telescope, one of the largest in the world with a diameter of 8.2 m, was officially launched at the top of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii, at an altitude of 4,139 m! Close collaboration is being pursued with the United States, as well as with other countries for even more ambitious projects, such as the ALMA radio telescope network in Chile.

The Mizusawa site now includes various scientific projects, buildings and facilities, not far from downtown Oshu, easily accessible to visitors from 9am to 5pm: a 20m diameter radio telescope to study certain galactic objects (its antenna is associated with others installed throughout the country, creating a virtual network of 2,300km in diameter!), a 10 m radio telescope in operation since 1992, another antenna 3 m in diameter, an observation building... and the Space and Astronomy Museum, a historic building of the former Mizusawa International Observatory. Among the attractions and activities offered, a 4D digital cinema, as well as fun experiments to be carried out to better understand science and astronomy. Café Scientifiques are also available (talks in Japanese of course!). Finally, throughout the year, the campus organizes astronomical gatherings according to current events, or during national science festivals.