Hubelmatt Observatory

Hubelmatt Observatory, known locally as Sternwarte Hubelmatt, is a public astronomical observatory in Lucerne, Switzerland, housed at the city's Hubelmatt West School.

About Hubelmatt Observatory

The observatory is operated by the Astronomical Society of Lucerne (Astronomische Gesellschaft Luzern) and has a notable claim to fame beyond stargazing: on 12 February 2017 the inner main-belt asteroid 6126 Hubelmatt, discovered by Zdeňka Vávrová at Kleť Observatory, was named in honour of Hubelmatt Observatory and its hosting school, a reward for the society's role in suggesting the winning names "Helvetios" and "Dimidium" for the star 51 Pegasi and its exoplanet during the 2015 NameExoWorlds contest.

History

Built in 1979, the observatory has been run by the Astronomical Society of Lucerne ever since, serving the local community as a public window onto the night sky for more than four decades.

Location & getting there

Hubelmatt Observatory is located within the city of Lucerne, Switzerland, on the grounds of the Hubelmatt West School, making it an easily reachable stop for visitors already in the city.

Visiting Hubelmatt Observatory

The observatory is open to the public on Tuesday evenings from 20:00 to 22:00, with free entry. Full details are available on the Astronomical Society of Lucerne's official website, sternwarteluzern.ch.

See your named star from here

A society that helped name a real exoplanet system is a fitting place to look for your own named star: bring the RA/Dec coordinates from your Star Register certificate along on a Tuesday evening visit. Browse our naming packages or the star catalogue to name one first.