Long Night of Astronomy 2026

This year, the Planetarium Berlin Foundation’s program will once again take place at the Zeiss Grand Planetarium and on its expansive outdoor grounds.

Under the motto “Observe, marvel, experience,” visitors across Germany can look forward to a diverse program for the whole family.

This year’s program centers on two special celestial events:

a partial solar eclipse—which will even be visible as a total eclipse in parts of Europe—and the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, with up to 100 shooting stars per hour.

The program is complemented by keynote lectures, sky observations with telescopes, guided tours of institutes and observatories, 360° full-dome shows in planetariums, and hands-on and craft activities.

The Long Night of Astronomy, originally launched in 2014 by the Berlin Planetarium Foundation, builds on the tradition of street astronomy, which became popular in Germany in the 1950s.

Today, it is a joint project of the Berlin Planetarium Foundation, the Astronomical Society, the Association of German-Speaking Planetariums, and the Association of Stargazers, in cooperation with numerous planetariums, observatories, and other institutions.

The event is sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR).

Look forward to a varied, free program for the whole family and two astronomical highlights in the night sky!

At the Zeiss Grand Planetarium in Berlin, visitors can expect a diverse program centered on astronomy and space exploration.

In the planetarium auditorium, cosmic journeys of discovery will be presented through various 30-minute fulldome programs.

All around the Zeiss Grand Planetarium, numerous interactive hands-on activities invite visitors to explore—from craft stations to telescope observations and lectures, all the way to the mobile planetarium INTENSE.

In the theater and the foyer, live broadcasts of the solar eclipse from Spain will be shown, supplemented by presentations from experts on current topics in astronomy as well as live connections to various event locations.

This makes it possible to experience the Long Night of Astronomy digitally throughout Germany. A selection of food and drinks rounds out the on-site event experience.

In addition to the solar eclipse, another spectacular celestial event awaits you: the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.

The full program will be published shortly.

#longnights