Kiso Observatory Night Sky
About the Kiso Observatory Night Sky Camera
This is a night-sky camera at the University of Tokyo's Kiso Observatory in Kiso town, streamed by the Asahi Shimbun's astronomy desk. It is not a landscape camera — the subject is the sky.
The observatory was established in 1974 on a ridge in the Kiso mountains, chosen for altitude, dry air and distance from city lighting. Its 105 cm Schmidt telescope is the largest of its type in Japan, and the site now runs a wide-field survey camera capable of imaging the whole sky repeatedly through a night.
The stream comes into its own during meteor showers — the Perseids in August, the Geminids in December, the Quadrantids in January — when it is pointed at the radiant and left running. Outside those events it is simply a dark, clear sky, and on cloudy nights there is nothing to see at all.
Highlights & Nearby
- •Watch for: stars and the Milky Way on clear nights, meteors during shower peaks
- •Nearby: Kiso town, Mount Ontake, Kaida Kogen, the Kiso valley
- •Note: a night-sky camera — nothing to see by day or under cloud; best during meteor shower peaks
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Kiso Observatory camera live?
Yes. The night-sky stream from the University of Tokyo's Kiso Observatory runs live, though there is nothing to see by day or under cloud.
What can I see on this camera?
The night sky above the Kiso mountains — stars, the Milky Way on clear nights, and meteors during shower peaks.
When is the best time to watch?
During major meteor showers: the Perseids in August, the Geminids in December and the Quadrantids in January.
What is the Kiso Observatory?
A University of Tokyo facility established in 1974 in the Kiso mountains, home to the largest Schmidt telescope in Japan and a wide-field survey camera.
