Bruno-H.-Bürgel-Sternwarte

The Bruno-H.-Bürgel-Sternwarte is a public astronomical observatory on the Hahneberg hill in the Staaken district of Spandau, Berlin, Germany, sitting at an elevation of 83 metres.

About Bruno-H.-Bürgel-Sternwarte

The observatory is named after the astronomer and popular science writer Bruno Hans Bürgel (1875–1948) and is run by the amateur astronomy association Bruno-H.-Bürgel-Sternwarte e.V. Alongside its dome, the site includes an auditorium, a library, a gallery and a telescope workshop, and it regularly hosts public sky observations, astronomy lectures and workshops, as well as collaborations with research institutes.

History

The observatory was founded in 1982 as an amateur astronomy association. Its main instrument, a 61 cm Cassegrain telescope built by the association itself, was inaugurated in 2005 and remains the largest and most powerful telescope in Berlin.

Telescopes & research

The self-built 61 cm Cassegrain telescope anchors the observatory's public observing programme, supported by the workshop where members build and maintain instruments in-house.

Location & getting there

The Sternwarte stands atop the Hahneberg, a hill in Berlin's Spandau district, at 83 metres above sea level — a rare patch of elevated, relatively dark sky within the German capital.

Visiting Bruno-H.-Bürgel-Sternwarte

The observatory welcomes the public for sky observations, lectures and workshops; check the association's own listings for current dates and opening times before visiting.

See your named star from here

The 61 cm Cassegrain at the Bürgel-Sternwarte is powerful enough to be aimed at precise coordinates — exactly what you get with a Star Register certificate. Name a star or browse the catalogue to see one for yourself.