Essen observatory
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Tucked in the Schuir district on the edge of Essen, Germany, this observatory has watched the skies since the mid-1960s under a name that honours one of spaceflight's pioneering theorists.
About Essen Observatory
Known locally as the Walter-Hohmann-Sternwarte, the observatory is named after Walter Hohmann, the German engineer who calculated the fuel-efficient orbital transfer later used by real spacecraft. It is run by the Walter-Hohmann-Sternwarte Essen e.V. astronomy association.
History
A group of astronomy enthusiasts founded the observatory in 1965; it was officially registered as an association in 1969 and renamed in 1971 in Hohmann's honour. The observatory moved to its current site in the Schuir district, at around 120 metres above sea level, in 1978.
Telescopes & research
The main instrument is a Nasmyth telescope with a 56 cm primary mirror and a 7-metre focal length. Since 1998, the observatory's team has contributed positional tracking of asteroids to international databases used by the IAU's Minor Planet Center, and members have been credited with eleven new asteroid discoveries since 2002.
Location & getting there
The observatory sits in Essen's Schuir district in the Ruhr region of western Germany, easily reached from the city centre.
Visiting Essen Observatory
Public tours run on Wednesday and Friday evenings after 8 pm, weather permitting; check current dates with the association before visiting.
See your named star from here
The volunteers who track asteroids here can just as easily help you locate your own named star. Look up its coordinates in the Star Register catalogue, or start a new naming with one of our packages.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
