Bohnenberger Observatorium

Bohnenberger Observatorium is a small round sandstone building on the east bastion of Hohentübingen Castle in Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, built for land surveying rather than stargazing.

About Bohnenberger Observatorium

The observatory is named after Johann Gottlieb Friedrich Bohnenberger (1765-1831), the mathematician and astronomer who used it. It was built around 1818 on the direct orders of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg to support the kingdom's land survey, and originally housed a Reichenbach Repetitive Circle, a precision surveying instrument.

History

The Reichenbach Repetitive Circle it once housed was remarkable enough that it could be returned to its exact original position 16 years later. The observatory's northeast tower tip served as the zero point for all Württemberg maps, and surveys in the region still orient on that point today. After renovation, the building reopened in September 2018 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Württemberg land survey.

Location & getting there

Bohnenberger Observatorium sits within the grounds of Hohentübingen Castle, overlooking Tübingen in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Visiting Bohnenberger Observatorium

The observatory is managed by the Museum of the University of Tübingen (MUT) as part of the castle grounds. Check the museum's website for current opening hours before visiting.

See your named star from here

Bohnenberger Observatorium was built to fix exact points on a map rather than in the sky, but the same idea of precise coordinates applies to a star named through Star Register. Name a star or browse the catalogue to see its position.