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The Vienna Observatory (german: Universitätssternwarte Wien) is an 
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
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. ...
in Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
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, 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 hi ...
. 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 other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 2 December 1848 until ...
in 1883. The main dome houses a refractor with a diameter of and a focal length of built by the Grubb Telescope Company. 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 physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the 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. Although humans are ...
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.
Directors
* 1756–1792 Maximilian Hell * 1792–1817Franz 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
* 1877–1908 Edmund Weiss
* 1928–1938Kasimir 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
* 1945–1949Kasimir 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, ...
* 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
See also
* List of largest optical refracting telescopes * Kuffner Observatory (Established in the 1886, also in Vienna) *List of Jesuit sites
This list includes past and present buildings, facilities and institutions associated with the Society of Jesus. In each country, sites are listed in chronological order of start of Jesuit association.
Nearly all these sites have bee ...
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