Sternwarte Aachen

At Hangeweiher in Aachen, western Germany, the Sternwarte Aachen has been opening its dome to the public since 1935, making it one of the country's longest-serving public observatories.

About Sternwarte Aachen

Sternwarte Aachen is a "Volkssternwarte," or public observatory, one of only 27 traditionally recognised under that name in Germany. Its mission is to bring basic astronomical knowledge to as broad a public as possible, through guided tours, courses and an active amateur astronomer working group.

History

The observatory has been in operation at Hangeweiher since 1935. Remarkably, its building and original equipment survived the Second World War intact, and the site is now protected as both a public and architectural monument (Denkmal).

Telescopes & research

Its main instrument is a 20-centimetre Carl Zeiss refractor with a 3-metre focal length — the same lens that has served the observatory's public viewing sessions for nearly a century.

Location & getting there

Sternwarte Aachen is located at Am Hangeweiher 23, in Aachen-Mitte, at an elevation of about 204 metres, within easy reach of Aachen's city centre.

Visiting Sternwarte Aachen

The observatory offers individual guided tours, online tours and astronomical courses for the public; check the Sternwarte Aachen website for current opening times before visiting.

See your named star from here

The historic Zeiss telescope at Sternwarte Aachen works by pointing to coordinates — exactly what comes with a star named through Star Register. Find your star's right ascension and declination in the star catalogue and see if it's visible on a clear Aachen night.