Bosscha Observatory prepares infrastructure for public visits
The management of the Bosscha Observatory in Lembang, West Bandung, West Java, is still preparing infrastructure and supporting human resources to reopen visiting programmes for the general public.
Bosscha Observatory researcher, Yatny Yulianty, stated in Bandung Barat on Sunday that the observatory, which is managed by the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), is not yet open to the general public as several preparations are being carried out gradually. “We are currently preparing the visiting programme for the general public. The preparations we are undertaking are gradual, particularly regarding supporting infrastructure,” she said.
Yatny explained that the current capacity and carrying capacity are not yet sufficient to accommodate large numbers of visitors, as visitor comfort and safety are primary considerations before the programme is implemented. According to her, the preparation process is targeted to be completed in the near future, although the implementation timing will depend on various existing operational needs.
“We are still in the preparation phase; hopefully, it can be completed as early as this June, or perhaps in July, as we are also considering limited human resources who must carry out other programmes outside of Bosscha,” Yatting noted.
Although it is not yet receiving visits from the general public, the Bosscha Observatory continues to offer educational visit programmes for school groups with a limited number of participants. Yatny stated that student visits are conducted every Tuesday and Thursday in two sessions, namely from 09:00 to 11:00 WIB and 13:00 to 15:00 WIB.
In addition to preparing daytime public visiting programmes, the management is also assessing the possibility of organising night tours that would allow visitors to enjoy direct celestial observations. However, she mentioned that this plan is still considering several factors, including the readiness of supporting facilities as well as weather conditions and sky brightness, which are crucial for the quality of astronomical observations. “Night tours cannot be held yet because weather plays a role. We are monitoring the sky conditions to ensure clarity to support the implementation of night tours. Essentially, everything is situational,” said Yatny.