Solar Physical Observatory, built in 1898, is located 4 km from
Kodaikanal. This observatory of Indian Institute of Astrophysics is located in the
Palani range of hills in Southern India, at 7700 ft high. A full-fledged solar and stellar observatory, it has well equipped productive laboratory doing quality research work.
Facilities include photoheliograph, spectroheliograph, K-filtergrams, telescope, main spectrograph and 20 cm refractor. The observatory has also arranged an Astronomy museum for the visitors. The displays include pictorial and a few models. A live solar image and the Fraunhofer spectrum are also presented. The library at the observatory has a collection of astronomical literature and also maintains a skeletal current literature in Solar and Solar Terrestrial Physics.
The nearest airport to the observatory is Madurai, 130 km away. The nearest railway station is Kodaikanal Road Junction Railway Station, 80 km from the observatory. The observatory can be reached by road from Bangalore, via Salem and Dindigul and from Madurai via Kodaikanal road.
