The Vienna Observatory (german: Universitätssternwarte Wien) is an

astronomical Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxi ...

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 ...

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

. It is part of the

University of Vienna The University of Vienna (german: Universität Wien) is a public research university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world. With its long and rich histor ...

. The first observatory was built in 1753–1754 on the roof of one of the university buildings. A new observatory was built between 1874 and 1879, and was finally inaugurated by Emperor

Franz Joseph I of Austria Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I (german: Franz Joseph Karl, hu, Ferenc József Károly, 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the Grand title of the Emperor of Austria, other states of the Habsburg m ...

in 1883. The main dome houses a

refractor A refracting telescope (also called a refractor) is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image (also referred to a dioptric telescope). The refracting telescope design was originally used in spyglasses and a ...

with a diameter of and a focal length of built by the

Grubb Telescope Company Sir Howard Grubb, Parsons and Co. Ltd. was a telescope manufacturer, more commonly known as Grubb Parsons. It was based in Newcastle upon Tyne, in England. They were a noted telescope maker throughout the 19th and 20th century, making telescope th ...

. At that time, it was the world's largest refracting telescope. Land for the new observatory was purchased in 1872, and was noted for having increased elevations (about 150 ft) above the city. Construction started in March 1874, and it was opened with new instruments in 1877. The overall design had various rooms and three main domes, one for the Grubb refractor and then two smaller domes, and some terraces. At this time there were larger aperture reflecting telescopes, and the main technologies of metal mirror and silver on glass; however they had not yet established a strong reputation for themselves and there continued a strong interest in refractors for better or worse until the 20th century. A report published in the publication

Nature Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physics, physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomenon, phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. ...

in notes that the 69 cm / 27-inch Grubb observed planets, comets, and nebula between 1903 and 1906. Observations with a 6-inch Fraunhofer refractor telescope of comets and planets between 1903 and 1910 was also noted. Refraktor Wien Kerschbaum 1

Directors

* 1756–1792

Maximilian Hell Maximilian Hell ( hu, Hell Miksa) (born Rudolf Maximilian Höll; May 15, 1720 – April 14, 1792) was an astronomer and an ordained Jesuit priest from the Kingdom of Hungary. Biography Born as Rudolf Maximilian Höll in Selmecbánya, Hont Co ...

* 1792–1817

Franz de Paula Triesnecker Franz de Paula Triesnecker (2 April 1745 – 29 January 1817) was an Austrian Jesuit astronomer. Biography Triesnecker was born in Mallon, Kirchberg am Wagram, Austria. When he was 16 he joined the Society of Jesus. He studied philosophy in Vien ...

* 1819–1840 Johann Josef von Littrow * 1842–1877

Karl Ludwig von Littrow Karl Ludwig Edler von Littrow (18 July 1811 – 16 November 1877) was an Austrian astronomer. Born in Kazan, Russian Empire, he was the son of astronomer Joseph Johann Littrow. He studied mathematics and astronomy at the universities of Vienna an ...

* 1877–1908

Edmund Weiss Edmund Weiss (26 August 1837 – 21 June 1917) was an Austrian astronomer. He was born in Frývaldov, Austrian Silesia, now Jeseník, Czech Silesia. His father, Josef Weiss (1795–1847), was a pioneer of hydrotherapy. His twin brother, Adolf Gus ...

* 1928–1938

Kasimir Graff Kasimir Romuald Graff (7 February 1878 – 15 February 1950) was a Polish-German astronomer. He worked as an assistant at the Hamburg Observatory and became a professor at Hamburg in 1916. In 1928 he became director of the Vienna Observatory, ...

* 1940–1945 Bruno Thüring * 1945–1949

* 1951–1962 Josef Hopmann * 1962–1979Josef Meurers * 1979–1981Karl Rakos * 1981–1984Werner Tscharnuter * 1984–1986Michel Breger * 1986–1994Paul Jackson * 1994–2005Michel Breger * 2006–2009Gerhard Hensler * 2009–2011Franz Kerschbaum * 2011–2012Manuel Güdel * 2012–2013João Alves * 2013–pres.Bodo Ziegler

References

External links

University of Vienna Institute of Astronomy home page

{{Use dmy dates, date=August 2017 Astronomical observatories in Austria Buildings and structures in Währing Museums in Vienna Science museums in Austria University of Vienna Great refractors 1883 establishments in Austria

Directors

See also

References

External links