Sternwarte Weikersheim

On the Galgenberg hill near Weikersheim, close to the border between Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, around 120 volunteers keep a small observatory running that has moved home once and rebuilt itself since.

About Sternwarte Weikersheim

Sternwarte Weikersheim, at 332 metres elevation, is owned by the City of Weikersheim and operated by the Astronomical Association Weikersheim e.V., a group of roughly 120 volunteers. The site now includes two observation domes and a seminar room on the Galgenberg hill.

History

The observatory's first dome dates to 1978, originally a private installation in Wachbach near Bad Mergentheim before a Rotary Club initiative helped relocate it to the Galgenberg site. The facility was substantially reconstructed between 2005 and 2007, and its primary instrument today - an 18-inch f/8 Ritchey-Chrétien telescope with a lattice tube and a 3,720-millimetre focal length - has been in place since November 2017.

Location & getting there

Weikersheim sits near the state border between Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, in southern Germany, with the observatory itself on the Galgenberg hill at 332 metres elevation. Use the map and directions button on this page to plan your visit.

Visiting Sternwarte Weikersheim

All tours and public observation evenings are free, run entirely by volunteers, though donations are welcome. Check the association's current schedule before travelling.

See your named star from here

Every star named through Star Register comes with exact coordinates, and the volunteers at Sternwarte Weikersheim can point their 18-inch Ritchey-Chrétien telescope towards them on a clear night. Browse the star catalogue or start a naming through our packages before your visit.