A BOUND BETWEEN LAND AND CIEL
Inaugurated in 1995, the François-Xavier Bagnoud Astronomical Observatory is the result of the will of Albina du Boisrouvray and Bruno Bagnoud, the parents of François-Xavier, who saw it as a symbolic link between the earth and the sky, as well as a means of providing privileged access to astronomy for everyone.
Located at 2,200 meters above the village of Saint-Luc, in the Valais Alps, near Sierre, the observatory enjoys an atmosphere of exceptional purity. Designed to make astronomy accessible to all, it welcomes both tourists and hikers as well as schools and amateur astronomers wishing to learn or deepen their knowledge in quasi-professional conditions.
With numerous instruments (60 cm telescope with CCD camera, 20 cm bezel, celostat, 16 cm coronographer), it can be used for daytime observation of the sun, as at night for observation of the sky. The main building houses an auditorium of about 30 places with complete audio-visual equipment. Other facilities – such as a small bookshop, an internet workstation, a workshop, a photo lab, a kitchen and a 6-bed dormitory – complement the François-Xavier Bagnoud Observatory.
Its access is easy thanks to the proximity of the arrival station of the funicular Saint-Luc – Tignousa. Dormitories are also available at the altitude restaurant on site.
The François-Xavier Bagnoud Observatory is also the starting point of the Path of the Planets which, located between 2200 and 2500 meters, opposite the prestigious 4000 of the Valais Alps, offers for 6 kilometers the discovery of the 9 planets of the solar system.
Further information: https://www.ofxb.ch/