Brorfelde Observatory

On a low ridge in the middle of Zealand, Brorfelde Observatory protects something rare in Denmark: a genuinely dark night sky, still watched over by the domes that once served the University of Copenhagen.

About Brorfelde Observatory

Brorfelde Observatory (Danish: Brorfelde Observatoriet) is an astronomical observatory near Holbæk, Denmark, home to the Brorfelde Schmidt Telescope. It was run as a branch of the Copenhagen University Observatory until 1996, when its operating staff moved to the Rockefeller Complex in Copenhagen; telescopes on site are still used by University of Copenhagen students. Today the site has been transformed into a public discovery centre spanning eleven culturally protected buildings.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits atop Brorfelde Bakke in the middle of Zealand, Denmark, at an elevation of about 60 metres. The sky above it is formally protected from light pollution, making it the only site in Denmark with legally protected night darkness.

Visiting Brorfelde Observatory

Brorfelde is open to visitors on weekends and during school holiday periods, with school programmes running on weekdays; there is an admission fee. Check the official website for the current schedule before travelling, since hours vary seasonally.

See your named star from here

Denmark's only protected dark sky makes Brorfelde an unusually good place to actually see a named star rather than just imagine it. Bring the right ascension and declination from your Star Register certificate, and use them with a stargazing app under Brorfelde's shielded night sky to find your star for yourself. Explore packages at /#packages or see other named stars in the catalogue.