Johannes-Kepler-Volkssternwarte
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Johannes-Kepler-Volkssternwarte stands in Thal, around 11km west of Graz in Styria, Austria, run by a dedicated society of amateur astronomers since 1981.
About Johannes-Kepler-Volkssternwarte
The observatory was founded in 1981 and is operated by the Steirischer Astronomen Verein (Styrian Astronomical Society, StAV), which was itself founded that same year and now counts 193 members. The site is affiliated with the Anton-Afritsch-Kinderdorf children's village training centre.
Telescopes & research
The main instrument is a 51cm Ritchey-Chrétien mirror telescope (f/8.1, roughly 4.1m focal length). It is supported by a 25cm Newton mirror telescope (f/4), a 16cm apochromatic refractor (f/8), and a 10cm refractor (f/9) fitted with a solar filter for daytime observation.
Location & getting there
The observatory is located in Thal, roughly 11km west of Graz, in the Styria region of Austria.
Visiting Johannes-Kepler-Volkssternwarte
Public tours run on Friday evenings, lasting around 1.5 hours, during which visitors can observe and learn about objects in the night sky. Check ahead before travelling to confirm the current schedule.
See your named star from here
During a Friday evening tour, the observatory's telescopes can be pointed to the coordinates of a named star. Look up any star's exact position in the star catalogue.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check the official website and Google Maps for current times before you travel.
