Archenhold-Sternwarte Treptow

Archenhold-Sternwarte Treptow – © Andreas Steinhoff / Mediawiki

This is the oldest and largest public observatory in Germany, and home to the longest moveable refracting telescope on earth (21 metres). The Archenhold observatory is a place of distinction. In addition to the impressive 130-tonne historical telescope nicknamed the 'sky canon', the observatory also has a number of other observation devices. From astrographs for taking photos of the sky to the 500-millimetre reflecting telescope that allows you to view planets, binary stars and the moon. In the Solar Physics exhibition room you can observe the prismatic colours of sunlight and active solar zones with the help of the 'Jensch coelostat', which captures light from the sun. In the small Zeiss planetarium visitors can sit in comfortable chairs under an 8-metre dome onto which the complete northern or southern hemisphere skies are projected. The Archenhold observatory also offers a rich and varied programme for all ages: guided tours on various topics, lectures and telescope observation sessions. In addition, there is a museum with temporary exhibitions relating to astronomy.