Astronomical Observatory of La Murta

 At Region of Murcia, there are two astronomical observatories. One of them is located in La Murta (Corvera), south-west of Municipality of Murcia (37°50′24″N 1°12′10″O). But it is closed since 2017.

It is located in the town of Corvera (very intersting place for rural tourism and for eating), and the surroundings are quite quiet and there is no light pollution on observatory surroundings.

The owner is the Murcia City Council and it was managing by Astonomical GroupAssociation of Region of Murcia, but in 2017 the contract expired and there is no information on when City Council are going to renew it.

"The one in La Murta was not only intended for astronomy fans and the general public to learn about this science from the Murcian sky, but it was also a research and scientific dissemination center in which the different comets were monitored. and asteroids and objects in the Solar System.

As a concrete example, the researchers discovered from their facilities twelve years ago a new asteroid that had a diameter of five kilometers and that was located between the planets Jupiter and Saturn. In addition, from La Murta they collaborated with NASA in the missions 'Deep Impact' and 'Darwin' and with the Institute of Space Sciences (CSIC-IEEC) and the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands for the study and analysis of minor planets," (Source: La Opinión de Murcia)