Gnevsdorf observatory

On Weißiger Landstraße in Dresden, Germany, the observatory known as Sternwarte Gönnsdorf has passed from university science to a community-run home for young astronomers.

About Sternwarte Gönnsdorf

The observatory was built between 1973 and 1975 by the Technical University of Dresden, originally to house a positioning astrograph for scientific work. It served that research role until 2006, when increasing light pollution led to it being abandoned.

History

In January 2009, the site was acquired by the Association for the Promotion of Youth (Verein zur Förderung der Jugend e.V.). It was officially reinaugurated that October, launched by a group of 13 amateur astronomy enthusiasts, and has run as a youth-focused education project ever since, partnering with the DeltaX student laboratory at the Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf. The observatory is entirely donation-funded.

Telescopes & research

Sternwarte Gönnsdorf now houses a 16-inch telescope inside a 6.5-metre dome, used for sky observation, astrophotography, and spectroscopy, largely by young people and students taking their first steps in astronomy.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located at Weißiger Landstraße 6 in Dresden, Germany, in the Europe region, easily reached as part of a visit to the city.

Visiting Sternwarte Gönnsdorf

As a volunteer-run, donation-funded facility, opening times vary with the group's programme of events. Check the observatory's official website for current dates before planning a visit.

See your named star from here

A 16-inch telescope under a 6.5-metre dome gives the young astronomers at Gönnsdorf real reach into the night sky. If you've named a star with Star Register, its coordinates are exactly what an observatory like this needs to find it. Browse the star catalogue to find yours.