About Stephanion Observatory
Identity &
History
THE OBSERVATORY
A Place of Science, Heritage & Discovery
Founded in 1966, Stephanion Observatory became one of Greece’s earliest centres of international astronomical and space research. From French satellite tracking and European observing programmes to decades of stellar photometry by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, resulting in more than 170 scientific publications, and today’s exoplanet research and citizen science, the Observatory has connected this small mountain site with the wider scientific world for sixty years.
The Observatory stands on Dragatoura Hill in the northeastern Peloponnese, just west of the village of Stephani, on the present-day border between the regional units of Corinthia and Argolis, at an altitude of approximately 800 metres.
Today, the Observatory is a public facility owned by the Municipality of Corinth. Its programme of public observations, educational activities and astronomy outreach is supported by the Astronomical Union of Corinth “ASTERION”, while a Memorandum of Understanding between the Municipality of Corinth, the National Observatory of Athens and the University of Patras provides a framework for scientific cooperation, citizen science, public engagement and the exchange of scientific expertise.
Combining public outreach, scientific research and the interpretation of its scientific heritage, Stephanion Observatory represents a unique model in Greece: a public observatory, active research facility and exhibition space within one historic scientific site.
HISTORY
Six Decades under the Stars
The story of Stephanion Observatory spans the development of modern observational astronomy itself — from the early years of the space age to today’s study of planets orbiting distant stars.
Discover how Stephanion became an observing station in the 1960s and developed into an important site for astronomical research in Greece.
OUR MISSION
Preserving the Past. Observing the Present. Inspiring the Future.
Our mission is to preserve and share the scientific heritage of Stephanion Observatory while keeping it a living place of astronomy.
We aim to support astronomical observation and research, encourage education and scientific curiosity, and make astronomy accessible to students, schools and the wider public.
At the heart of this mission are four closely connected principles:
Scientific Heritage · Research · Education · Citizen Science
SITE & FACILITIES
A Place made for Astronomy
At approximately 800 metres above sea level, Stephanion Observatory stands on Dragatoura Hill, southwest of the village of Stephani, where Corinthia meets Argolis.
Surrounded by mountains and open horizons, the Observatory commands extensive views across the northeastern Peloponnese and towards the Saronic Gulf and the Aegean beyond.
Its setting has always been part of its identity: a place away from the cities, where landscape, sky and science meet.