Iranian National Observatory Project is on the design and construction of a medium size optical telescope with a primary diameter of 3.4m dedicated for observations of galactic and extra galactic sources.

There has been a significant advance on the development of the site and infrastructure. The concept for the project was presented and discussed in the conceptual design review meeting in March 2012.

The telescope

The telescope is a 3.4m diameter optical RC telescope benefitting from on axis Cassegrain focus and side Cassegrain stations. The high quality primary is actively supported to deliver a high quality image over a medium large field of 30 arcmin at the main Cassegrain focus. Field of view of 20 arcmin and 8 arcmin will be made available.

The INO telescope primary mirror

The INO340 M1 has arrived in the country in March 2015.

Permanent site monitoring station in Gargash

The permanent site monitoring station equipped with an automatic DIMM system and standard weather station has been  become operational in Gargash site in November 2014.

The site

The site was selected after an extensive survey lasting nearly a decade. Gargash, located in central Iran at an altitude of 3600m, is now under development. The site offers a median seeing with FWHM of 0.7 arcsec.

Please also visit: INO website