Origins and History
In 2019, the international initiative "On the Moon Again" brought together Mializo Razanakoto — astronomy enthusiast and founder of the Haikintana association — and Sylvain Bouley, a French planetary scientist. Inspired by making astronomy more accessible in Madagascar, they conceived an ambitious project: a robotic observatory dedicated to education and inspiration.
The idea took shape through a meeting with Charles Gassot, CEO and founder of NGO Écoles du Monde, already established in Madagascar for over 25 years, who wanted to introduce astronomy to children. Écoles du Monde manages the Besely campus, 40 km from Mahajanga, which had the infrastructure needed for astronomical activities.
In 2022, the observatory came to life with the installation of a 34 cm telescope equipped with a camera and a rolling roof, set up by Antoine Cailleau (Astromecca), Sylvain Bouley (SAF), Andoniaina Rajaonarivelo (Haikintana) and the Écoles du Monde team. In June 2022, the International Astronomical Union officially named asteroid "(40201) Besely".
Besely campus – 40 km from Mahajanga
Asteroid (40201) Besely named by the IAU (~5 km diameter, main belt).
Site Infrastructure
The observatory is installed on top of a building on the Besely campus, with an unobstructed view of the sky.
Automated Rolling Roof
Designed by Astromecca, opens automatically to expose the telescope to the sky.
Fibre Optic Connection
Installed by Fondation AXIAN (YAS), enabling remote operation from anywhere in the world.
Solar Power
Solar panels (Fondation EDF) providing full energy autonomy.
Surveillance Camera
Real-time monitoring of equipment status.
Observation Equipment
Main Telescope
Celestron C14
Scientific Camera
ZWO ASI2600MM DUO
Technical specs
Control Software
How to Access the Telescope
Remotely accessible to any trained user from anywhere in the world.
Mandatory Prior Training
All users must complete training on the instrument, software and safety procedures.
Time Slot Reservation
Submit requests via this website. Priority given to educational and scientific projects.
Book a sessionRemote Observation Session
Control via Prism v11, AnyDesk or Chrome Remote Desktop.
Observation Report
Each session results in a report (objects observed, results, technical notes).
Governance & Partners
| Partner | Role and contribution |
|---|---|
| NGO Écoles du Monde Madagascar | Infrastructure, buildings and human resources on the Besely campus. |
| Société Astronomique de France (SAF) | Technical expertise and observation equipment (telescope, cameras, rolling roof). |
| Haikintana Association (Madagascar) | Daily management, training, maintenance and scientific use. |
| Université Paris-Saclay | Scientific and financial support, planetology and astrophysics expertise. |
| Uranoscope de l'Île-de-France | Technical expertise and telescope operation support. |
| AFIPS | Research support and user training across Africa. |