Guided tour of the observatory

With our large telescope, the »Bamberg Refractor«, you can – if the weather is clear – observe objects in the sky with your own eyes. What we can show varies depending on the time of day and the observability of the celestial bodies. If the sky is overcast, an object will be shown in the city to illustrate the magnification capabilities of the telescope. Unfortunately, when it rains or snows, the observatory dome cannot be opened, and we then focus more on the »technical« aspect of observing the sky.

Observable celestial bodies

In the daytime sky, for example, we can observe the waxing moon, bright fixed stars or the planet Venus. But the »star« of the show is of course our sun. Here, we project the image of the sun onto a screen mounted behind the telescope, because looking directly into the sun with the telescope is very dangerous.

When the tour begins at dusk, we start with the brightest objects: depending on visibility, the waxing or full moon, bright planets such as Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, and the fixed stars may be shown. With increasing darkness, if the brightness of the sky allows it, fainter objects are added.

In the dark sky, binary stars (which look like a single star to the naked eye) as well as star clusters, the so-called »planetary nebulae« or the brightest galaxies are our objects of observation.

The level of complexity of the tours is primarily based on the age weighting of the audience.

Tickets:

Admission: 4 € / 2 €

Tickets for observations can be exclusively purchased on-site or at the ticket office of the Planetarium am Insulaner.

Tickets for events at the Planetarium am Insulaner are valid for six weeks after the event for a one-time entry to the Wilhelm-Foerster-Sternwarte.

Information:

Please note that observations are only possible in suitable weather. Guided tours through the observatory are conducted in case the weather is unsuitable for stargazing.

Observations take approx. 45 minutes.

Language: German

Accessibility: Unfortunately, the Wilhelm-Foerster-Sternwarte is not barrier-free.

Observatory dates:

May:
Wed & Thurs (outside holidays): 10:45 am | 12:15 pm
Fri: 8:45 pm
Sat: 3:15 | 5:15 | 7:30 | 9:30 pm
Sun: 1:15 | 2:45 | 4:15 | 5:45 pm

Special opening hours in May:
01.05.:
1:15 | 2:45 | 4:15 | 5:45 pm

18.05. (Ascension Day):
3:15 | 4:45 | 6:15 | 7:45 | 9:30 pm

19.05. (Bridge Day):
11:45 am | 1:15 | 8:45 pm

29.05. (Whitmonday):
1:15 | 2:45 | 4:15 | 5:45 pm

30.05. (Whitsun holidays)
For technical reasons, no guided tours can take place on that day.

June:
Wed & Thurs (outside holidays): 10:45 am | 12:15 pm
Fri: 8:45 pm
Sat: 5:15 | 7:30 | 9:30 pm
Sun: 1:15 | 2:45 | 4:15 pm