# Observatorio Astronómico Cancana, Chile: what it is and when to go

> Observatorio Astronómico Cancana is an observatory in Chile (Cochiguaz). Interests: Stargazing. The best time to visit is May to September. In December there are 13 h 56 of daylight, and in June, 10 h 04. Here is what it is, where it lies, when to come, how to get there and what else is nearby to turn it into a trip.

- Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/observatorio-astronomico-cancana/
- Reviewed on: 2026-10-08
- Language: en

## In a nutshell

- **What it is:** Observatory · Stargazing
- **Where:** Chile · Ruta D-487, Cochiguaz
- **You can go:** May to September.
- **Nearest airport:** SCL Santiago, 364 km as the crow flies
- **Coordinates:** -30.14214, -70.40759

## What it is and where

Observatorio Astronómico Cancana is an observatory in Chile (Cochiguaz).

Its coordinates are -30.14214, -70.40759; the nearest main airport is Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL, Santiago), 364 km as the crow flies. How to get around Chile (train, car, bus) is covered in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/#moverse).

- [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=-30.142137%2C-70.407587)
- [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=-30.142137%2C-70.407587)

It is one of the [Stargazing](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/estrellas/) places in Chile. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) it is already on your trip map next to the places you save yourself, and it goes into a day's plan with one tap.

## When to go

Months when you can visit Observatorio Astronómico Cancana: **May to September**.

| Mes | Época | Hours of daylight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | Better not | 13 h 44 |
| February | Better not | 13 h 03 |
| March | Better not | 12 h 13 |
| April | Better not | 11 h 16 |
| May | Possible | 10 h 29 |
| June | Possible | 10 h 04 |
| July | Possible | 10 h 14 |
| August | Possible | 10 h 55 |
| September | Possible | 11 h 50 |
| October | Better not | 12 h 45 |
| November | Better not | 13 h 33 |
| December | Better not | 13 h 56 |

In December there are 13 h 56 of daylight, and in June, 10 h 04. Daylight hours are calculated from the site's latitude for the 15th of each month; when planning a full day on foot they matter as much as the weather.

When to go to Chile in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/#cuando-ir).

## Before you go to Chile

To enter Chile there are 8 things to sort out before you leave, starting with “Book domestic flights and Torres del Paine places”: they are all, with their deadlines, in [the Chile checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/#antes-de-salir). Currency: Chilean peso (CLP); plugs: Type C and L · 220 V · 50 Hz (the Spanish two-pin plug usually works); emergencies: 133 police · 131 ambulance · 132 fire brigade.

In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it.

## What is nearby

- [Mrs. Josefa from Elqui](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/mrs-josefa-from-elqui/): Distillery · 8.7 km
- [Tumba de Gabriela Mistral](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/gabriela-mistral/): National monument of Chile · 10.0 km
- [Cochiguaz River](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/santuario-de-la-naturaleza-rio-cochiguaz/): River in Chile · 22 km
- [Santuario de la Naturaleza Estero Derecho](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/santuario-de-la-naturaleza-estero-derecho/): Protected area · 25 km
- [Cervecería Guayacán](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/cerveceria-guayacan/): Brewery · 26 km

Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in [the Chile guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/).

## More in Chile: Stargazing

- [Paranal Observatory](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/observatorio-paranal/): astronomical observatory in the Atacama Desert
- [Cerro El Roble](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/cerro-el-roble/)
- [University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/university-of-tokyo-atacama-observatory-tao/): Observatory
- [Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/atacama-submillimeter-telescope-experiment/): Radio astronomy telescope
- [San Cristóbal Hill Wine Bar](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/mirador-copernicus/): restaurant in Santiago de Chile
- [Observatorio Cerro Mamalluca](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/observatorio-cerro-mamalluca/): Observatory

Every Chile place under Stargazing, each with its season, is on [its page](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/estrellas/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Observatorio Astronómico Cancana?

It is an observatory in Chile.

### When is the best time to visit Observatorio Astronómico Cancana?

May to September. In December there are 13 h 56 of daylight, and in June, 10 h 04.

### How do you get to Observatorio Astronómico Cancana?

The nearest main airport is Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL), 364 km as the crow flies. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=-30.142137%2C-70.407587) opens the route on the map, and how to get around Chile is explained in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/#moverse).

### How do I add it to my trip?

With one tap. In Kokai it is already on the Chile map, next to the places you save yourself: add it to a day's plan, give it a time and, if you like, get a reminder when you pass nearby.

### What else is around here?

Nearby you have [Mrs. Josefa from Elqui](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/mrs-josefa-from-elqui/), [Tumba de Gabriela Mistral](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/gabriela-mistral/), [Cochiguaz River](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/santuario-de-la-naturaleza-rio-cochiguaz/). The rest is in [the Chile guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/chile/).

Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/1949110248), licensed under the ODbL, and from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/), CC0. Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).

