Crni Vrh Observatory

- Crni Vrh Observatory

MPC observatory code 106
Longitude: 14^o 04' 16" East; Latitude: 45^o 56' 45" North; Altitude: 726 m
First Published November 10, 1995

Crni Vrh Observatory is operated by a group of dedicated observers. We run a Comet and Asteroid Search Program named PIKA after a Slovene acronym. For that purpose, we designed and built a 0.6-m, f/3.3 Cichocki telescope (named after B. Cichocki). It is custom made, advanced technology, wide-field imaging system, designed for sky survey applications. Since 2004, it operates as a remote robotic telescope. It nightly scans the sky and returns new discoveries of small Solar System bodies, which sometimes threaten our home planet Earth. Recent software upgrade enable us also discovery of distant cosmic explosions such as supernovae, Gamma Ray Bursts and variable stars. See also our 2 minute video presentation and recent updates of the PIKA project.

2000 and 2010 Shoemaker Grant Recipient

Last Images

	Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) Image of comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), obtained on 2025 Dec. 13 (22h16-22h37UT) with 60-cm, f/3.3 Deltagraph telescope and CMO. After the fragmentation in early November 2025, at least two components are visible on this frame. Exposure time was 15 minutes (30 x 30 seconds). Image scale is 1.17 arc sec/pixel. Copyright © 2025 by H. Mikuz, Crni Vrh Observatory.

	Periodic Comet 24P/Schaumasse Unfiltered false color image of periodic comet 24P/Schaumasse, obtained on 2025 Dec. 14 (4h32-4h50UT) with 60-cm, f/3.3 Deltagraph telescope and CMO. Exposure time was 15 minutes (15x60 seconds). Image scale is 1.17 arc sec/pixel. Copyright © 2025 by H. Mikuz, Crni Vrh Observatory.

	Periodic Comet 240P/NEAT Unfiltered false color image of periodic comet 240P/NEAT, together with fragment 240P-B, obtained on 2025 Dec. 13 (21h30-21h49UT) with 60-cm, f/3.3 Deltagraph telescope and CMO. Exposure time was 15 minutes (15x60 seconds). Image scale is 1.86 arc sec/pixel. Copyright © 2025 by H. Mikuz, Crni Vrh Observatory.

	Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Unfiltered image of interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS, obtained on 2025 Nov. 28 (4h49-5h01 UT) with 60-cm, f/3.3 Deltagraph telescope and CMO. Exposure time was 10 minutes (10x60 seconds). Image scale is 1.17 arc sec/pixel. Copyright © 2025 by H. Mikuz, Crni Vrh Observatory.

	Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN), obtained on 2025 Nov. 9 (17h26-18h14UT) with with 20-cm, f/4.0 Quattro telescope and Canon 6D camera. Exposure time was 44 minutes (44x60 seconds) at ISO 3200. Image scale is 5.04 arc sec/pixel. In addition to the ion tail, the comet also has an anti-tail made up of dust in PA 310 degrees. Image was median combined to bring out the details in comet coma and tails. Copyright © 2025 by H. Mikuz, Crni Vrh Observatory.

	Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) Image of comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), obtained on 2025 Nov. 4 (4h21-4h36UT) with 60-cm, f/3.3 Deltagraph telescope and CMO. Exposure time was 10 minutes (20x30 seconds). Image scale is 1.17 arc sec/pixel. Copyright © 2025 by H. Mikuz, Crni Vrh Observatory.

	Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN), obtained on 2025 Oct. 28 (20h21-21h05UT) with 20-cm, f/3.2 Hypergrapf and Canon R6. Exposure time was 90x30 seconds at ISO 3200. Image was median combined to bring out the details in comet coma. Copyright © 2025 by J. Skvarc, La Galga, Canary Islands.

	Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), obtained on 2025 Oct. 28 (19h27-19h45UT) with 20-cm, f/3.2 Hypergrapf and Canon R6. Exposure time was 17 minutes (100x10 seconds). Copyright © 2025 by J. Skvarc, La Galga, Canary Islands.

Light Pollution	Night Sky Phenomena	Old DSLR Gallery

Drustvo temno nebo Slovenije

Astronomska revija Spika	Portal v vesolje	Astronomy Picture of the Day

Astronomska revija Spika		Prevod v slovenscino

Observer's Support

Comets

	HORIZONS Ephemeris Generator
	CARA Comet Data Archive

Comet Observers Database (COBS)

Observatories/Observing Programs

	Astronomy Astrophysics at Univ. of Ljubljana
	Astronomical Observatory Golovec
	Rezman Observatory

Metrics and plots from MPEC service.

	MPEC Watch

Asteroids and comets

	IAU Minor Planet Center
	Sky Coverage
	The NEO Confirmation Page
	Possible Comet Confirmation Page
	NEO Rating Page
	Comets in Need for Recovery
	MPC Ephemeris Service
	New Object Ephemeris
	Minor Planet Checker
	NEA Observation Planning Aid
	MPC Database Search
	Identification of satellites from astrometric positions
	MPC Animations Page
	Impact Effects Calculator
	On-line Find_Orb

	Sun and Moon Data 2025 (for Ljubljana)

News

	Fireball over Crni Vrh Observatory (December. 14, 2024)


	Fireball recorded on 2025 Dec. 14th at 20:32:36UT +/-30s, with the all-sky color camera. 2025 Events Archive

	Aurora Borealis over the Crni Vrh Observatory (November 12, 2025)


	Polar camera at Crni Vrh Observatory recorded a great display of northern lights, starting on 12th November 2025 at 1:35 UT until dawn. More ...