A Warm Welcome

Our welcome to Tian Shan Observatory above Big Almaty Lake. The eerie silence and abandoned feel of the place made us wonder whether we had arrived at the Kazakh version of Bates Motel. This Soviet-era observatory partially survives financially on stranded hikers like us using their facilities for accommodation. For a few extra tenge (about $4), an astronomer will pull out the big telescope and show you the stars. Recommended for a side trip from Almaty. Read more about our adventures in the Tian Shan Mountains.

Cold War Relics

A receiver, or perhaps a missile tracking device on the grounds of the Tian Shan observatory in Kazakhstan. Read more about our adventures in the Tian Shan Mountains.

Gazing at the Stars

The visiting astronome at Tian Shan observatory gives us a tour of the sky from one of the observation centers. After he manually opened the skylights and fired up the 2500x telescope, we glimpsed an exploding star and a few star clusters. Then the smog and ambient light from Almaty kicked in. Read more about our adventures in the Tian Shan Mountains.

Phoning Home

A Soviet-era observatory in the Tian Shan mountains struggles to get by. We're not quite sure what that huge satellite really does...The observatory grounds (just above Big Almaty Lake) is a worth a visit. Read more about our adventures in the Tian Shan Mountains.

Desolation

Our approach to the Tian Shan observatory above Big Almaty Lake. The grounds felt completely abandoned...until people started creeping out of the woodwork a few minutes after our arrival. More reading:www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/12/kazakh-reflections-mount...

Getting Smaller

The Tian Shan observatory begins to look like an ant farm on our ascent to Kosmostansia in Kazakhstan's Tian Shan mountains. Read more about our adventures in the Tian Shan Mountains.

Dan and Aivar

Our host, Aivar, at the Tian Shan observatory. Kyrgyz by birth, Aivar spoke good English, smiled often and took care of us for our night in the mountains. He even ensured that we got Bush legs for dinner. Read more about our adventures in the Tian Shan Mountains.

Before the Big Climb

Leaving the observatory above Big Almaty Lake, we didn't know what was ahead of us that day. Aivar, our host, smiled when we told him that we didn't have a map. Idiots, he was probably thinking to himself. More reading:www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/12/kazakh-reflections-mount...

Jantar Mantar Observatory, Jaipur

Sprucing Up at Jantar Mantar

Home Sweet Home

The grounds of the Tian Shan Observatory above Big Almaty Lake in Kazakhstan. www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/12/kazakh-reflections-mount...

Uncornered Market

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