St. Margarethen observatory

St. Margarethen Observatory looks out over Basel from the Bruderholz hill in Binningen, Switzerland, where it has served both scientists and stargazers since 1928.

About St. Margarethen Observatory

The observatory sits above Basel's ice rink on the Bruderholz, in the canton of Basel-Landschaft. Built as the successor to an earlier observatory at the Bernoullianum, it has functioned for decades as both an astronomical and meteorological observation station.

History

St. Margarethen Observatory was founded in 1928 and was run by the University of Basel until its Astronomical Institute was dissolved at the end of 2007. Since then, the observatory has been operated by the Basel Astronomical Association, keeping the site active as a public facility. It is recognised as a Class B Swiss cultural property of regional significance.

Location & getting there

The observatory stands in Binningen, in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, part of our Europe region listings, on high ground overlooking the city of Basel.

Visiting St. Margarethen Observatory

The Basel Astronomical Association keeps the observatory open to the public; check the association's current schedule before visiting, as public astronomy evenings typically depend on both the calendar and clear skies.

See your named star from here

With an amateur astronomy association actively running the site, St. Margarethen Observatory is a good place to try to spot a star named through star-register.eu. Search the star catalogue or choose a naming package to get the coordinates, then ask the association's volunteers whether they can help you find it.