Old Innsbruck Observatory

The Old Innsbruck Observatory, also known as the Oppolzer Observatory, has stood in the Hötting district of Innsbruck, Austria since 1904, built with an astronomer's own inheritance and now preserved as a historic site.

About Old Innsbruck Observatory

The observatory is owned and operated by the institutes of astrophysics at the University of Innsbruck, and now serves as a historical observatory and museum.

History

Professor Egon von Oppolzer founded the observatory in 1904, financing its construction himself with proceeds from the sale of an inherited collection of paintings. He designed a novel building: a two-floor main structure paired with a free-standing dome of glass and thin sheet metal that allowed the interior temperature to equalise quickly with the outside air. Oppolzer died in 1907 at the age of 38, before his work there was complete. The Austrian state acquired the observatory after his death, and it was incorporated into the University of Innsbruck in 1909.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located in the Hötting district of Innsbruck, in the Austrian region of Tyrol, set against the alpine backdrop that surrounds the city.

Visiting Old Innsbruck Observatory

As a historic site and museum, check the University of Innsbruck's page for current opening hours before visiting.

See your named star from here

Oppolzer designed this observatory's dome to react quickly to the sky above it, the same responsiveness that helps in tracking down a single star named through Star Register at its precise coordinates. Name a star or browse the star catalogue.