Greece has always been a land of dazzling blue skies — skies that once inspired ancient philosophers to study the mysteries of the heavens. Yet, for all its luminous nights and rich astronomical heritage, the country had no observatory equipped for modern astrophysical research until the early 1960s. Efforts had been made: the Greek National Committee for Astronomy had already begun surveying possible sites for an observatory. But without the necessary funding, the plans remained on paper.

Meanwhile, Greece’s clear atmosphere had not gone unnoticed abroad. In early 1964, a group of Dutch astronomers arrived in the country, eager to explore the possibility of setting up a small reflector telescope from the Utrecht Observatory — a shared instrument that would serve researchers from across the Netherlands. The team, which included Adrian Blaauw and Jan Borgman from the Kapteyn Astronomical Laboratory in Groningen, S. J. de Kort from the Catholic University of Nijmegen, and Anne B. Underhill from the Sonnenborgh Observatory in Utrecht, joined a meeting of the Greek National Committee for Astronomy in Athens. Together, they examined climate records and discussed which parts of Greece might offer the best observing conditions.

Their attention soon turned to the Peloponnese — specifically the regions of Argolis and Corinthia. That spring, accompanied by Professor Lyssimachos N. Mavridis of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the Dutch astronomers set out to see these sites for themselves. They visited several locations, including the area near the village of Stephani, whose rugged landscape and open skies seemed promising. After their tour, the group returned to the Netherlands to discuss their findings and next steps with the Dutch scientific authorities.