Telescopes
Four instruments.
The Jean Nicolini Municipal Observatory is an astronomical observatory in the rural Joaquim Egídio district of Campinas, opened on 15 January 1977, and welcomes some twelve thousand visitors and students a year. Since 1992 it has borne the name of Jean Nicolini, a pioneer of popular astronomy in Brazil and founder of the Capricórnio Observatory society, which works from the same site. The observatory stands on Monte Urânia in the Serra das Cabras, near the town of Morungaba, at about 1,030 metres, far from the city lights. It has four telescopes with different characteristics, the largest a 600-millimetre instrument under a motorised dome, while the half-metre telescope is used for public and school activities because it is easy to handle. To protect the quality of observation from traffic dust, the stretch of the access road nearest the observatory has been left unpaved. It opens to the public on set days, usually Sundays, with talks about the sky and telescope viewing when the sky is clear. Check opening times before going.
Four instruments.
Far from the city.
Rural Campinas.
Monte Urânia, Serra das Cabras, Joaquim Egídio district, Campinas
On set days, usually Sundays; check the times.