Skinakas Observatory (Longitude 24o 53 ' 57 '' East,  Latitude 35o 12 ' 43 '' North) is located in the Ida mountain in Central Crete at an altitude of 1750m, 25km line- of- sight distance and 60km by road from the city of Heraklion.

On the road, 20km before Skinakas, one passes the traditional town of Anoghia which is well known for its significant role in the recent Cretan history. About 6 km line- of- sight Southwest from the Observatory there is Ideon Andron, the famous cavity where according to the Myth the infant Zeus grew up.

The idea to make Skinakas a site of astronomical research was born in the summer of 1984, and thereafter the construction of a road to the mountain peak was started. The university of Crete, The Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (FORTH, former Research Center of Crete) and the Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik (Germany) agreed to build and operate together a telescope with the purpose of providing modern education in Astronomy to University students and also of supporting astronomical observations with emphasis on the research of extended sky objects like comets and gaseous nebulae.

The expected arrival of the comet Halley in the Spring of 1986, after 76 years of wandering through the solar system, set the time schedule for the installation of the telescope, which having a wide field of view, and equipped with a highly sensitive electronic camera was especially suited for the observation of the comet. Indeed, after the construction of the road on the rocky mountain and the completion of the first stone-made observatory, hundreds of people from all over Greece, among them many officials, came in the Spring 1986 to Skinakas, to participate in the inauguration of the Observatory and the observation of the comet Halley.

In 1988 the construction of the guesthouse, also made of stone, was finished and immediately hosted the First School of Observational Astrophysics in Greece.  The successful installation and operation of the first and relatively small telescope confirmed the excellent astronomical conditions at Skinakas characterizing it as one of the best sites for high quality astronomical observations in the Mediterranean area. Consequently, the cooperating institutions decided to further develop the Observatory by the installation of a larger and very modern telescope with a mirror diameter of 1.3m. The telescope was inaugurated in Autumn 1995.

Skinakas Observatory

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Kakopetros Beach by Asterousia, South Crete

Vathi Beach, South Crete - Mesara. Beaches on Crete

Gialopotamos beach Rethimno, South Central Crete

Ligres or Akoumia beach Rethimno, South Central Crete

Aspes Beach by Asterousia, South Crete

Chrisostomos Beach, Kali Limenes, South Central Crete

Polirizos Beach by Rethimno, south Crete

Tripiti in Lentas, South Central Crete

Kataliki Beach by Kokkinos Pirgos

Dasaki Beach, Kalamaki, South Crete

Agios Ioannis Beach and Village in South Crete

Preveli Beach and Palm forest. Holidays and apartments

Martsalo Beach, South Crete - Mesara. Beaches on Crete

Arvi Beach and Village by South Crete

Platia Peramata Beach, Lendas, South Central Crete

Tsoutsouros in Heraklion, South Central Crete

Chersonisos in Heraklion, Central Crete

Analipsi village in Heraklion, Central Crete

Gouves in Heraklion, Central Crete

Gournes Village in Heraklion, Central Crete

Bali Village and Beach, Rethimno, Central Crete

Tylissos or Tilisos in Heraklion, Central Crete

Moires or Mires, south Crete. Messara

Kali Limenes Village in South Crete, Heraklion

Iraklio: Crete’s beating heart

Heraklion City, Crete

Matala, south Crete. Holidays in Crete

Kalamaki coastal village by South Crete - Mesara

Adelianos Kambos, Rethimno, Central Crete

Lentas Crete holidays coastal village

Kavoussi Gorge in Keratokambos

Ambelos and Rosa Gorge in Gonies

Preveli Gorge in Rethimno, South Crete

Agios Fanourios gorge in Venerato

Rouvas Gorge or Agios Nikolaos Gorge, Zaros

Karteros or Astrakiano gorge in Heraklion Crete

Tripiti gorge in Lentas south Crete. Lendas area

The gorge of Vorizia

Agiofarago in south Crete Matala - Lendas area

Agios Vasilios gorge in Rethimno

Spiliotissa gorge in Choudetsi

Kourtaliotiko Gorge in Plakias, south Crete

Keratokambos or Portela Gorge in south Crete Heraklion

Agios Antonios gorge by Asites

Petres Gorge in Rethimno

Anemospilia archaeological site in Archanes

Knossos archaeological site on Crete, Heraklion

Monastiraki minoan settlement archaeological site in south Crete

Kamilari vaulted tomb archaeological site in south Crete

Vathipetro archaeological site in Archanes on Crete, Heraklion

Aqueduct Morozini in Archanes

Agia Triada archaeological site in Crete

Visit Knossos, Archanes, Gortys, Phaistos, Matala, Anogia, Zoniana Cave and Koutouloufari

Lyttos or Littos archaeological site in Kasteli Heraklion

Juchtas Psili Korfi archaeological site in Archanes on Crete, Heraklion

Ancient Inatos, Tsoutsouros

The Fortress of Monopari, Rethimno, Crete

Oaxos archaeological site in Axos, Rethimno

Minoan cemetery of Armeni. Necropolis archaeological site in Rethimno, Crete

Gortys or Gortyna archaeological site in Crete

Krionerida Cave by Vafes - Hania

Tzanis or Honos Cave by Omalos

Agia Paraskevi or Skotino Cave in Gouves, Heraklion

Kamares Cave in Psiloritis, Heraklion

Rousso Haraki Cave in Pefki - Makrigialos, East Crete

Megalo and Mikro Katofigi Caves in Sitia, East Crete

Asfendou Cave by Sfakia

Gerani Cave, Rethimno

Spiliara Cave in Astiraki

Arkalospilios Cave in Marathos

The Elephant's Cave by Drepanos

Pelekita cave in Kato Zakros, East Crete

Agios Antonios Cave, Patsos

Drakoulaki Cave, Sfakia

Giouchtas Caves in Archanes, Heraklion