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The Public Observatory Regensburg (German: ''Volkssternwarte Regensburg'') is an astronomical
visited 4 May 2018
The precursor of the currently existing observatory was founded in 1774 at the Saint Emmeram's Abbey. Prince-Abbot Frobenius Forster dedicated two towers of the abbey which were prepared for astronomical and meteorological observations in the years 1774 and 1775.''Bayerischer Anzeiger'', 18 June 1938, page 8: ''Am Anfang war das Astrolabium'' When the abbey was dissolved in 1812, the observatory was moved into a tower in the city wall. This tower was named ''Placidustower'' after Placidus Heinrich, one of its first users and a monk of the Order of Saint Benedict. Placidus Heinrich introduced astronomy as a subject at the
Due to the construction of a new road, the Placidustower was torn down in 1902. The government of Bavaria assigned 20,000 Mark to build a new observatory.Wilde, Sandra. "... denn ohne Observatorium giebt es keine Observationen": Astronomen und Sternwarten in Regensburg, 1773-1923. 1999.; page 125 Two new floors and a dome on top of the roof were constructed on top of an existing building used by the Lyzeum. The dome was produced by Heyde, a company located in Dresden. The construction was started in 1902 and finished in 1905. The dome received a refracting telescope build by Reinfelder.
In the year 1919 physicist Professor Karl Stoeckl was appointed to the Lyzeum in Regensburg. In November 1919, a local newspaper announced a public talk about the Milky Way for the first Thursday in the new year.''Regensburger Anzeiger'', 10 November 1919 Since then Karl Stoeckl regularly opened the observatory to the public. In 1923 the Lyzeum was converted to a ''Philosophisch-theologische Hochschule'' (German for ''philosophical-theological college''). A local newspaper reported in 1938 that the observatory is opened to the public on Friday evenings.
After the closure of the ''Philosophisch-theologische Hochschule'' in the year 1968, the observatory was sustained as a part of the Regensburg University of Applied Sciences through the efforts made by ''Prof. Dr. Bernhard Heß'' and ''Alois Menath''.
In 1976 a non-profit club, the ''Verein der Freunde der Sternwarte Regensburg e.V.'', was founded and is running the observatory until today. In 1982 the observatory was renovated. During the renovation, the telescope from 1905 was permanently damaged and replaced by an apochromat build by ''Lichtenknecker''.
Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte Nr. 3
(PDF; 12 kB) Alois Menath, 1993: "Beobachtungsinstrumente der alten Regensburger Lyzeumssternwarte (1812 bis 1902)" * Sandra Wilde, 1999. "... denn ohne Observatorium giebt es keine Observationen": Astronomen und Sternwarten in Regensburg, 1773–1923. * Benjamin Mirwald, 2014: Volkssternwarten: Verbreitung und Institutionalisierung populärer Astronomie in Deutschland 1888–1935. AVA (Akademische Verlagsanstalt) * Wilhelm Schenz, 1930: Das erste Jahrhundert des Lyzeum Albertinum Regensburg (1810-1910) * Bernhard Heß, 1980; Die Naturwissenschaften an der Philosophisch-Theologischen Hochschule Regensburg im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert * Christoph Meinel, 2017: Wissensdinge. Die historische Instrumentensammlung; in 50 Jahre Universität Regensburg; pages 356-359 * Andreas Becker, 2015: Die Schriftgutverwaltung des Lyzeum Albertinum und der Philosophisch-Theologischen Hochschule im Spiegel der Überlieferung im Universitätsarchiv Regensburg, in VHVO 154
{{Portal bar, Germany, Astronomy, Stars, Spaceflight, Outer space, Solar System, Education, Science Astronomical observatories in Germany Buildings and structures in Regensburg
observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. His ...
located in Regensburg
Regensburg or is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the Danube, Naab and Regen rivers. It is capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the state in the south of Germany. With more than 150,000 inhabitants, Regensburg is the f ...
, Germany. Its history dates back to the year 1774 when Saint Emmeram's Abbey dedicated two towers to astronomical observations. For the most time, it served for educational purposes. Today it is run by a non-profit organization, the ''Verein der Freunde der Sternwarte Regensburg e.V.''. The observatory is accessible for visitors on Friday evenings.History of the observatory (German)visited 4 May 2018
History
1774 to 1902
The precursor of the currently existing observatory was founded in 1774 at the Saint Emmeram's Abbey. Prince-Abbot Frobenius Forster dedicated two towers of the abbey which were prepared for astronomical and meteorological observations in the years 1774 and 1775.''Bayerischer Anzeiger'', 18 June 1938, page 8: ''Am Anfang war das Astrolabium'' When the abbey was dissolved in 1812, the observatory was moved into a tower in the city wall. This tower was named ''Placidustower'' after Placidus Heinrich, one of its first users and a monk of the Order of Saint Benedict. Placidus Heinrich introduced astronomy as a subject at the Lyzeum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies among countries; usually it is a type of secondary school. Generally in that type of school the ...
in Regensburg, a university dedicated to Philosophy
Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
and Theology. The remaining instruments are now part of the historical collection at the University of Regensburg.
1902 to 1968
Due to the construction of a new road, the Placidustower was torn down in 1902. The government of Bavaria assigned 20,000 Mark to build a new observatory.Wilde, Sandra. "... denn ohne Observatorium giebt es keine Observationen": Astronomen und Sternwarten in Regensburg, 1773-1923. 1999.; page 125 Two new floors and a dome on top of the roof were constructed on top of an existing building used by the Lyzeum. The dome was produced by Heyde, a company located in Dresden. The construction was started in 1902 and finished in 1905. The dome received a refracting telescope build by Reinfelder.
In the year 1919 physicist Professor Karl Stoeckl was appointed to the Lyzeum in Regensburg. In November 1919, a local newspaper announced a public talk about the Milky Way for the first Thursday in the new year.''Regensburger Anzeiger'', 10 November 1919 Since then Karl Stoeckl regularly opened the observatory to the public. In 1923 the Lyzeum was converted to a ''Philosophisch-theologische Hochschule'' (German for ''philosophical-theological college''). A local newspaper reported in 1938 that the observatory is opened to the public on Friday evenings.
Since 1968
After the closure of the ''Philosophisch-theologische Hochschule'' in the year 1968, the observatory was sustained as a part of the Regensburg University of Applied Sciences through the efforts made by ''Prof. Dr. Bernhard Heß'' and ''Alois Menath''.
In 1976 a non-profit club, the ''Verein der Freunde der Sternwarte Regensburg e.V.'', was founded and is running the observatory until today. In 1982 the observatory was renovated. During the renovation, the telescope from 1905 was permanently damaged and replaced by an apochromat build by ''Lichtenknecker''.
The Observatory Today
Today, the dome houses a 6" apochromat and a 12.5"Cassegrain telescope
The Cassegrain reflector is a combination of a primary concave mirror and a secondary convex mirror, often used in optical telescopes and radio antennas, the main characteristic being that the optical path folds back onto itself, relative to the ...
. Other telescopes available at the observatory include an 11" and a 12" Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope. The inventory of the observatory includes a high precission clock build by Riefler. The rooms of the two floors dedicated to the observatory house 3 exhibition rooms and a lecture hall.
See also
* List of astronomical observatoriesReferences
Bibliography
* Alois Menath, 1969: "Zur Geschichte der Regensburger Sternwarte" in Acta Albertina Ratisbonensia Band. 29Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte Nr. 3
(PDF; 12 kB) Alois Menath, 1993: "Beobachtungsinstrumente der alten Regensburger Lyzeumssternwarte (1812 bis 1902)" * Sandra Wilde, 1999. "... denn ohne Observatorium giebt es keine Observationen": Astronomen und Sternwarten in Regensburg, 1773–1923. * Benjamin Mirwald, 2014: Volkssternwarten: Verbreitung und Institutionalisierung populärer Astronomie in Deutschland 1888–1935. AVA (Akademische Verlagsanstalt) * Wilhelm Schenz, 1930: Das erste Jahrhundert des Lyzeum Albertinum Regensburg (1810-1910) * Bernhard Heß, 1980; Die Naturwissenschaften an der Philosophisch-Theologischen Hochschule Regensburg im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert * Christoph Meinel, 2017: Wissensdinge. Die historische Instrumentensammlung; in 50 Jahre Universität Regensburg; pages 356-359 * Andreas Becker, 2015: Die Schriftgutverwaltung des Lyzeum Albertinum und der Philosophisch-Theologischen Hochschule im Spiegel der Überlieferung im Universitätsarchiv Regensburg, in VHVO 154
External links
{{Portal bar, Germany, Astronomy, Stars, Spaceflight, Outer space, Solar System, Education, Science Astronomical observatories in Germany Buildings and structures in Regensburg