Allgäuer Volkssternwarte Ottobeuren

Just southwest of Ottobeuren, in the Allgäu region of Bavaria, Germany, the Allgäuer Volkssternwarte Ottobeuren has been the region's public window on the night sky since the 1960s.

About Allgäuer Volkssternwarte Ottobeuren

It is the oldest and largest public observatory in Central Swabia, sitting at 696 metres elevation about a kilometre from the town of Ottobeuren. The observatory draws around 3,500 to 4,000 visitors a year for its public stargazing programme.

History

The observatory was founded in 1966 and became operational in 1969. Rising visitor numbers led to an expansion of the facility in 1987–1988. In 2011, the European Southern Observatory tested a laser guide star system here, projecting a 20-watt laser to create an artificial reference star at 90 kilometres altitude.

Telescopes & research

The observatory's main instrument is a 60-centimetre azimuthal mirror telescope, installed in 1996 and modernised in 2007 to allow rotation-free astrophotography.

Location & getting there

Allgäuer Volkssternwarte Ottobeuren sits at 696 metres elevation, about one kilometre southwest of Ottobeuren in the Allgäu region of Bavaria, Germany.

Visiting Allgäuer Volkssternwarte Ottobeuren

The observatory opens to the public every Friday evening at 7:30 pm for stargazing sessions, drawing thousands of visitors each year. Check the official AVSO website for current details before visiting.

See your named star from here

With a 60-centimetre telescope and a weekly public observing night, this is a genuinely practical place to go looking for a named star. Look up its coordinates in the star catalogue, then ask staff at a Friday session to help you find it.