Classic South Bohemia
Observatoř Kleť — KLENOT and the asteroid hunters
By car 27 min
On the summit of Kleť stands the highest observatory in the Czech Republic and one of the places where new bodies in space are genuinely searched for. Over a thousand asteroids were discovered here and the team took part in one of five cases in history when an impact was predicted in advance.
The observatory is run by the couple Jana Tichá and Miloš Tichý. Thanks to its position above the inversion, Kleť has around one hundred and fifty clear nights a year, and one of the local asteroids is named Vepřoknedlozelo. Nights belong to research; the public comes by day for guided tours: in clear weather sunspots are projected, and inside hangs an exhibition of photographs taken right here. The easiest way up is by cable car from Krásetín.
Practical details
- By car 27 min
- Opening hours: obvykle 10:00–16:00, v červenci a srpnu denně; prohlídky s průvodcem každou hodinu 10:30–15:30
On site
The observatory stands just below the Kleť summit; the last stretch is on foot through the forest. Domes with telescopes are visible from afar; the main one holds the metre KLENOT telescope. Inside hangs a permanent exhibition of astronomical photos taken on Kleť. In clear weather the telescope can project sunspots onto a screen.