Neue Universitätssternwarte Innsbruck
Image: Wikimedia Commons
The Neue Universitätssternwarte Innsbruck (New University Observatory Innsbruck) sits atop the Viktor-Franz-Hess House on the University of Innsbruck's Technikerstrasse campus in the Tyrol region of Austria.
About Neue Universitätssternwarte Innsbruck
Run by the University of Innsbruck's astrophysics institutes, the observatory serves both student education and active research. Its dome was built in 1986, and a 60cm Ritchey-Chrétien reflecting telescope was installed a decade later in 1996, bringing the facility into full operation by 1999.
Telescopes & research
The main instrument is the 60cm Ritchey-Chrétien reflector, supported by three spectrographs and a large-format camera fitted with specialised filters. The observatory's research is focused on the observational astrophysics of variable stars, tracking how their brightness changes over time.
An older, historic observatory belonging to the university was extensively renovated in 2014 and reopened as a Historic Observatory Museum, preserving the site's earlier astronomical heritage alongside the modern facility.
Location & getting there
The observatory is located in the Hötting-West area of Innsbruck, on the roof of the Technikerstrasse campus building, in the mountainous Tyrol region of western Austria.
Visiting Neue Universitätssternwarte Innsbruck
As a university facility used for teaching and research, access is generally arranged through the University of Innsbruck. Check the university's astrophysics department for any public observing evenings before planning a visit.
See your named star from here
A 60cm research telescope like the one in Innsbruck is more than capable of resolving the coordinates of any star in our catalogue. If you've named a star with Star Register, look up its exact position in our star catalogue and see where it sits in the Tyrolean sky.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
