Combarbala

Combarbalita is an altered volcanic rock in reds, greens, browns and creams that occurs in workable quantity only in the hills around Combarbala, and it has been carved here for generations into bowls, figures and jewellery, sold from workshops in the town. Chile declared it a national stone in 1993. The town also has an observatory, the Cruz del Sur, opened in 2008 with four domes for public astronomy - this part of the Coquimbo region has the same clear dry skies that put the professional observatories nearby, and public observatories have followed. The town is small and inland, well off the coastal routes.

What you actually see

• Combarbalita worked in the town - a stone found nowhere else.
• Named a national stone in 1993 - by the Chilean state.
• The Cruz del Sur observatory - four domes for public astronomy.
• Clear dry skies - the same conditions the professional sites use.

When to go

Year round; observatory sessions run on clear nights around the new moon. Half a day.

Honest expectations

Observatory sessions are cancelled for cloud and need booking. The town is a long way inland with limited services. Workshop quality varies. The stone is heavy to carry home.

Nearby

Illapel is south; Ovalle and the Limari valley are north.