Welcome to the Public Astronomical Observatory Regensburg The Volkssternwarte Regensburg is an astronomical observatory located in Regensburg (Bavaria, Germany) that is open for guided tours, education and training in astronomy and planetary sciences. Dating back to the 1770ies, the Volkssternwarte is one of the oldest publicly accessible facilities of its kind in Germany. The building is a historical site protected as a monument of public interest. Our institution provides a unique combination of historic ambiance (including scenic views over the picturesque city centre, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site) with modern instruments and infrastructure, and the teaching of up-to-date science. The observatory is open to visitors every Friday evening (except on holidays; see below). The Friday tours are usually given in German language, but guides may be asked for explanations in English. Guided group tours in English are offered on other days of the week. If you wish to book a tour, please contact us by e-mail (preferred) or telephone. Contact Address: Ägidienplatz 2, 93047 Regensburg, Germany Phone: +49 (0)941 562682 (answering machine; please leave a message after the beep) E-mail: Public tours May – August: every Friday at 9:00 p.m. September – April: every Friday at 8:00 p.m. The observatory is closed on all German national and/or Bavarian state holidays, as well as every summer from 1 June to 15 July. Admission is free of charge. Disabled persons: Please note that, unfortunately, the building is not 'barrier-free'; for example, there is no elevator. The observatory is located on the three top floors, thus is not accessible without limitations to the physically handicapped. History The first astronomical observations in Regensburg were conducted by an abbot scholar, Wilhelm von Hirsau of St. Emmeram abbey, in the 11th century. One of his instruments, the famous Astrolabe of Regensburg, is now displayed in the city's Historical Museum. In 1774 the Prince-Abbot, Frobenius Forster of St. Emmeram, founded a 'physical cabinet', including an astronomical and meteorological observatory. The first person on staff duty there, Father Dr Placidus Heinrich, observed eclipses of the Sun and the Moon, and transits of the planets Venus and Mercury. After the secularization in the early 1800s the observatory was relocated to the so-called Placidusturm, a tower in the garden of Prince Karl Alexander von Thurn und Taxis. At that time it was used to teach students of the Royal Lyceum Albertinum, a kind of college of higher education with a special focus on theology. Less than a hundred years later, in 1900, the Placidusturm was demolished and the observatory relocated again, to the present site at Ägidienplatz. In 1919 Lyceum professor Dr Karl Stöckl opened the observatory to the public. After the foundation of Regensburg University in the 1960ies the former college was closed, but the observatory continued as a facility for public education. In 1976 a group of astronomy enthusiasts formed a not- for-profit association, the Verein der Freunde der Sternwarte Regensburg e.V., which then took over the operation of the observatory. Current observatory and equipment The observatory has a classroom that accommodates up to 50 visitors, three exhibition rooms, and a roof deck for the telescopes. The latter are listed below. 12.5" f/15 Cassegrain 12" f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain 11" f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain 6" f/15 apochromatic