Place to visit
USACH Spectral Monitoring Station, Chile: what it is and when to go
USACH Spectral Monitoring Station is an observatory (Estación de Monitoreo Espectral USACH) in Chile (Toconao). Interests: Stargazing. The best time to visit is May to September. In December there are 13 h 24 of daylight, and in June, 10 h 36. 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.
In a nutshell
- What it is
- Observatory · Stargazing
- Local name
- Estación de Monitoreo Espectral USACH
- Where
- Chile · San Pedro de Atacama
- You can go
- May to September.
- Nearest airport
- CJC Calama, 126 km as the crow flies
- Run by
- Univesidad de Santiago de Chile
- Coordinates
- -22.94792, -67.77385
What it is and where
USACH Spectral Monitoring Station is an observatory (Estación de Monitoreo Espectral USACH) in Chile (Toconao).
It is in Toconao, where this site lists 10 more places to see, 36 km from the centre.
Its coordinates are -22.94792, -67.77385; the nearest main airport is El Loa Airport (CJC, Calama), 126 km as the crow flies. How to get around Chile (train, car, bus) is covered in its country guide.
Where it is (opens in a new tab)Directions (opens in a new tab)
- Run by
- Univesidad de Santiago de Chile
It is one of the Stargazing places in Chile. In Kokai 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 USACH Spectral Monitoring Station: May to September.
- JanBetter not13:16
- FebBetter not12:46
- MarBetter not12:10
- AprBetter not11:28
- MayPossible10:54
- JunPossible10:36
- JulPossible10:43
- AugPossible11:12
- SepPossible11:52
- OctBetter not12:33
- NovBetter not13:08
- DecBetter not13:24
Best timePossibleBetter notHours of daylight
In December there are 13 h 24 of daylight, and in June, 10 h 36. 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.
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. 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 you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it.
What is nearby
- Cerro TocoMountain in Chile243 m
- University of Tokyo Atacama ObservatoryObservatory5.3 km
- Atacama Large Millimeter Array66 radio telescopes in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile6.9 km
- NANTEN2 observatoryObservatory7.7 km
- Atacama Submillimeter Telescope ExperimentRadio astronomy telescope7.7 km
Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in the Chile guide.
More in Chile: Stargazing
- Paranal Observatory: astronomical observatory in the Atacama Desert
- Cerro El Roble
- San Cristóbal Hill Wine Bar: restaurant in Santiago de Chile
- Observatorio Cerro Mamalluca: Observatory
- Chilean Planetary: cultural center
- Amalia: Observatory
Every Chile place under Stargazing, each with its season, is on its page.
Frequently asked questions
What is USACH Spectral Monitoring Station?
It is an observatory (Estación de Monitoreo Espectral USACH in the local language) in Chile.
When is the best time to visit USACH Spectral Monitoring Station?
May to September. In December there are 13 h 24 of daylight, and in June, 10 h 36.
How do you get to USACH Spectral Monitoring Station?
The nearest main airport is El Loa Airport (CJC), 126 km as the crow flies. From there, directions opens the route on the map, and how to get around Chile is explained in its country guide.
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 Cerro Toco, University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory, Atacama Large Millimeter Array. The rest is in the Chile guide.
Keep reading
- Toconao10 places to see in and around Toconao, Chile: Valle de la Luna, Purico complex, University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory. Best time: October to April.
- Stargazing24 places for stargazing in Chile, from Paranal Observatory to spots hardly anyone knows. Each with its own season by altitude and daylight.
- ChileBefore travelling to Chile: 8 things worth sorting out, each with its deadline. No visa is needed for tourism for up to 90 days and a valid passport is enough; on entry…
- Where to travelPick what you fancy (mountains, beaches, museums…) and the months you have free, and Kokai tells you which countries to go to and what to see there.
Data from OpenStreetMap, licensed under the ODbL, and from Wikidata, CC0. Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in credits.