Herschel Public Observatory, Hanover

The Hannover Public Observatory is operated by the nonprofit association Volkssternwarte Geschwister Herschel Hannover e.V. and is located on Lindener Berg, which rises 89 m above sea level. The observatory’s location on the rooftop terrace of the elevated water tank, built in 1878, offers an excellent view of the sky. In 1947, amateur astronomers led by Rudolf Hase founded an astronomical study group, which later became the public observatory. In 1968, the observatory was established on Lindener Berg, one of the highest points in the city.

Since 1986, the observatory has been named “Geschwister Herschel” in honor of the astronomers Wilhelm and Karoline Herschel, who were born in Hanover. It regularly offers public stargazing events and lectures on astronomy and attracts more than 1,000 visitors each year. The observatory’s main instruments are housed in two domes and include a 20-cm FH refractor, a 28-cm Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, and a Zeiss apochromatic refractor. These instruments are equipped with computer-controlled mounts and are also used for astrophotography. A 9-cm refractor with an H-alpha filter and a white-light filter are available for solar observation.

In addition, when visitor numbers are high, a Cassegrain-Maksutov reflector with an 18-cm aperture is used, and for internal club observations, a portable Dobsonian telescope with a 35-cm aperture is used. The Hannover Public Observatory is a popular destination for astronomy enthusiasts and offers a unique opportunity to observe the night sky.

You can find information about opening hours and much more on the observatory's website.

© HMTG

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