No Escape (1994 film) and Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory: Difference between pages
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[[Image:LSW-Heidelberg.jpg|right||230px|thumb|The Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl]] |
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The '''Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl''', or '''Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory''', is a historic [[astronomical observatory]] located near the summit of the [[Königstuhl (Odenwald)|Königstuhl]] hill, in the city of [[Heidelberg]] in [[Germany]]. The predecessor of the current observatory was originally opened in 1774 in the nearby city of [[Mannheim]], but degradation of observation conditions there resulted in a relocation to the Königstuhl in 1898.<ref name=wpde>{{de}}</ref> |
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| name = No Escape |
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| image = No escape poster.jpg |
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| caption = | director = [[Martin Campbell]] |
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| producer = [[Jake Eberts]],<br>[[Gale Anne Hurd]] |
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| writer = [[Richard Herley]] <small>(novel)</small><br />[[Michael Gaylin]]<br />[[Joel Gross]] |
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| starring = [[Ray Liotta]]<br />[[Lance Henriksen]]<br />[[Stuart Wilson (actor)|Stuart Wilson]]<br />[[Kevin Dillon]]<br>[[Kevin J. O'Connor (actor)|Kevin J. O'Connor]]<br>[[Don Henderson]]<br>[[Ian McNeice]]<br>[[Jack Shepard]]<br>[[Michael Lerner]]<br>as 'The Warden'<br>and [[Ernie Hudson]] |
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| music = [[Graeme Revell]]<br />[[Tim Simonec]] |
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| cinematography = [[Phil Meheux]] |
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| editing = [[Terry Rawlings]] |
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| distributor = [[Home Box Office]] <small>(USA, video)</small><br />[[Savoy Pictures]] |
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| released = [[April 29]], [[1994]] |
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| runtime = 118 min |
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| country = {{USA}} |
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| language = [[English language|English]] |
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| budget = |
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| preceded_by = |
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| followed_by = |
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| website = |
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| amg_id = |
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| imdb_id = 0110678 |
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}} |
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'''''No Escape''''' is a [[1994 in film|1994]] [[action film|action]]/[[science fiction]] film starring [[Ray Liotta]] as a former American Marine serving life imprisonment on an island inhabited by savage and cannibalistic prisoners for killing his commanding officer, the commandant of a Benghazi military base. He finds refuge with another group of prisoners known as the 'Insiders', who have formed a crude civilization in the interests of mutual protection against the savage 'Outsiders'. |
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The observatory forms part of the [[Center of Astronomy (University of Heidelberg)|Center of Astronomy]] of the [[Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg|University of Heidelberg]]. The [[Max Planck Institute for Astronomy]] opened on an adjacent site in 1967.<ref name=wpde>{{de}}</ref> |
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The movie was directed by [[Martin Campbell]], and the story was based on ''The Penal Colony'' by [[Richard Herley]]. The movie was released in some territories as '''Escape from Absolom'''. |
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As of 2006, the current director is [[Andreas Quirrenbach]]. |
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==Cast== |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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!'''Actor''' !! '''Role''' |
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|[[Ray Liotta]] ||Robbins |
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|[[Lance Henriksen]] ||The Father |
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|[[Stuart Wilson (actor)|Stuart Wilson]] ||Marek |
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|[[Kevin Dillon]] ||Casey |
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|[[Kevin J. O'Connor (actor)|Kevin J. O'Connor]] ||Stephano |
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|[[Don Henderson]] ||Killian |
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|- |
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|[[Ian McNeice]] ||King |
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|- |
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|[[Jack Shepard]] ||Dysart |
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|[[Michael Lerner]] ||Warden |
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|- |
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|[[Ernie Hudson]] ||Hawkins |
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|- |
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|[[Russell Kiefel]] ||Iceman |
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|- |
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|[[Brian M. Logan]] ||Scab |
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|- |
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|[[Cheuk-Fai Chan]] ||Skull |
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|} |
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== |
==History== |
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The instrumentation of the observatory originated from the [[Mannheim Observatory]], founded in 1774. 1880 the observatory was provisionally moved to [[Karlsruhe]] because the astronomical/atmospherical [[Astronomical seeing|seeing]] conditions worsened. In the subsequent time three other locations were considered from which Heidelberg-[[Königstuhl_(Odenwald)]] was decided on. |
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On 20 June 1898 the "Großherzogliche Bergsternwarte" was ceremonially inaugurated by [[Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden]]. The astronomical institute comprised two complementary departments, the astrophysical by [[Max Wolf]] and the [[Astrometry|astrometrical]] by [[Karl Wilhelm Valentiner]]. Valentiner was director of the Mannheim observatory and initiated the move to Karlsruhe. After Valentiners retirement in 1909 both departments were placed under the administration of Max Wolf. |
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In the 21st century (film taking place in [[2022]]), the penal system is now run by [[corporation|corporations]], with prisoners seen as corporate assets. |
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After his call to the Bergsternwarte Max Wolf was able to find private donors, among these [[Catherine Wolfe Bruce]] for the acquisition of new powerful telescopes. |
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Ex-[[soldier]] John Robbins is imprisoned for life for the murder of his superior officer, who had deliberately ordered Robbins to lead a [[helicopter]] assault on a [[civilian]] village during a [[war]] which was going very badly for the [[USA]], which was supposedly a source of "bio-weapons fire". In the assault, (which was later covered up and for which Robbins was awarded a [[medal]]) 342 women and children were "vaporized". This causes Robbins to have [[flashback|flashbacks]] of them screaming and dying over a backdrop of flames. |
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The main field of activity of the observatory was the investigation of [[Nebula|nebulae]] and the search for [[asteroids]]. Wolf, his staff and his successors discovered over 800 asteroids, including the first [[Trojan asteroid|trojan asteroid]] [[588 Achilles|Achilles]] in 1906. |
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Robbins had escaped from two "level 5" maximum security [[jail|prisons]] so he has now been imprisoned in a "level 6" facility run by the (unnamed) '''[[Warden]]'''. After the Warden reviews his file and meets him face to face, Robbins is thrown in a cell, where a fellow prisoner offers him food, and hastily tells him about "Absolom"{{sic}}, a place which is more feared than the facility. The cellmate is discovered for hoarding food and sharing it with Robbins and the Warden demands that Robbins carries out the punishment - 'lashes' with a high voltage prod. This is clearly an attempt to break Robbins but he refuses to take the prod. The Warden threatens to kill the cellmate so Robbins takes the prod, quickly seizes the Warden demonstrating his martial prowess. Having made his point, he releases the Warden hostage and is ruthlessly beaten by the guards and then gets taken to Absolom. |
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The observatory ceased to be run by the German federal government in 2005 when it was joined together with the [[Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics (University of Heidelberg)|Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics]] and [[Astronomical Calculation Institute (University of Heidelberg)|Astronomical Calculation Institute]] to make up the [[Center of Astronomy (University of Heidelberg)|Center of Astronomy]] of the [[University of Heidelberg]]. |
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After being dropped off by gunship, Robbins is captured by the 'Outsiders', who are led by a [[sociopath]] called Marek. The island had been previously been a private retreat as there are ramshackle structures including a dilapidated house and a [[swimming pool]] which is where the Outsiders have made their base. Marek informs Robbins that the average life expectancy of a prisoner is six months but he had been there for seven years and then insists he fight one of his men for his amusement. Robbins impresses them by killing the opponent and Marek offers Robbins a position within his [[gang]], in response to which Robbins knocks Marek into a pool and steals a rocket launcher that Marek carries. He flees from the Outsiders and is pursued through the [[jungle]], avoiding crude mantraps. However he ends up trapped at the edge of a high cliff and is shot in the neck by a [[blowgun]] dart. He falls into the [[river]] at the cliff's base, washes up on some rocks and retrieved by another group, the 'Insiders.' |
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Between 1912 and 1957 [[Karl Wilhelm Reinmuth]] discovered almost 400 [[asteroid]]s from the Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl. |
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At the Insider's camp which is on the edge of the jungle with their backs to the [[ocean]], he meets the Insiders led by a man who calls himself 'The Father'. The Father put together a co-operative [[community]] with laws as opposed to the raw [[anarchy]] of the outsiders. The Insiders total around 100 citizens whils the various Outsider groups total 600. Robbins learns that he is the only person to have ever challenged and escape from Marek and that the weapon he stole has been appropriated for the good of the community. The Father notes his resourcefulness and asks if Robbins will join him. He refuses and says he wants to leave Absolom, and The Father orders to Robbins to be taken to the shore where he learns from the men that there are gunships 50 miles off the coast and that they are closely electronically monitored by satellite infrared equipment. The Outsiders get supplied by airdrops whilst the Insiders make use of [[flotsam]] and whatever they can grow. |
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== See also == |
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During a [[Christmas]] party at the Insider's camp, Robbins informs The Father that he plans on leaving at daybreak. The same night Marek stages a raid on the Insiders' camp. An alarm warns the Insiders of impending attack, from a spy in the Outsiders camp. Robbins decides to join the battle at the fence as the Outsiders attack the Insider's camp. During the attack, the Father is stabbed and taken to his quarters which are soon infiltrated by Marek but Robbins fights him off and he flees with the retreating Outsiders. |
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*[[List of observatories]] |
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== References == |
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Robbins wakes up early the next morning and watches a craft floating away from the Island. He suddenly realises that the Father's plans for building a new tolerant society are a smokescreen for his real plans. The Insiders are planning to escape on a boat and let the general public know about Absolom. Without warning, a gunship appears from behind a rocky outcropping and blows up the boat. The boat's builder, who happen to be a mechanical wizard, says he could build a new boat but that he first needs a distributor. Robbins tells the Father that he had seen one in the Outsider's camp. He makes a deal with The Father for a space on the boat if he goes to the Outsider's camp and gets the distributor. |
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<references /> |
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== External links == |
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Casey, a young Insider that befriended Robbins, follows him but gets caught in one of the Outsider's traps and is captured. Robbins tries to rescue Casey, but is caught by Marek. They are both thrown in the swimming pool and ordered to fight to the death, where Casey, who is little more than a teenager who was only sent to prison because of a failed kidnapping where he was the getaway driver, falls on Robbins' weapon and is killed. Robbins is then thrown into a cell by Marek to be killed the next day and subsequently served for [[dinner]] but is rescued by a spy that the Insiders had inserted into the Outsider's camp. He warns Robbins that Marek has united the Outsider gangs and that Marek plans to annihilate the Insiders once and for all. |
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*[http://www.lsw.uni-heidelberg.de/ Official observatory website] (German/English) |
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{{Center of Astronomy (University of Heidelberg)}} |
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Robbins makes it back to the Insider's camp where he learns that The Father is dying from Hodgkin's lymphoma (the Father knows this as he is a former [[surgeon]]). The Father tells him his story and that everything has been recorded in his [[journal]] for the past 13 years. Robbins gives the inventor the distributor and takes charge of the camps defense. |
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{{coord|49|23|53.16|N|8|43|31.23|E|_type:landmark_region:DE|display=title}} |
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{{observatory-stub}} |
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The Outsiders attack only to find the camp empty save for a handful of [[chicken|chickens]] wandering around. Robbins climbs to the top of a [[bastion]] and fires the rocket gun, causing a large explosion, which wrecks half the camp and kills many of the Outsiders. The rest flee back into the jungle, pursued by the formerly hidden Insiders. The explosion has also registered on the satellite monitors which the Warden fears will alert the authorities to the existence of Absolom and takes a gunship to investigate. Marek remains to kill the defiant Robbins but is defeated with help of a last second distraction from The Father who is mortally wounded and dies. |
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[[Category:Astronomical observatories in Germany]] |
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Robbins pronounces The Father's death to the Insiders and announces the plans to rebuild the camp when another explosion sounds from the direction of the beach. He finds the boat destroyed, the inventor dead, but in the hands of the inventor is a clue as to the identity of the killer. Robbins confronts the killer and finds a small radio transmitter that he has been communicating with the Warden. Robbins forces the killer to inform the Warden that his landing zone is swarming with Outsiders and it should be changed to a new location. The gunship lands and the few meagre guards are quickly overpowered by a group of Insiders. They toss the warden out where he and the killer spy are left vulnerable to the rapidly approaching Outsiders. |
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[[Category:Heidelberg]] |
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[[Category:University of Heidelberg]] |
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[[Category:Astronomy institutes and departments]] |
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[[de:Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl]] |
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Robbins is shown successfully flying the gunship over a cheering Insider village and then over the island, away from Absolom with several Insiders and the Father's journal in his hand. |
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[[ja:ケーニッヒシュトゥール天文台]] |
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[[ru:Обсерватория Хайдельберг-Кёнигштуль]] |
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==External links== |
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*{{imdb title|id=0110678|title=No Escape}} |
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*[http://www.timeout.com/film/63473.html review by Time Out] |
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*[http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies/n/no_escape.html Review by James Berardinelli] |
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*[http://www.richardherley.com/PC.html Richard Herley’s novel ''Penal Colony'' available for download on a pay-if-you-liked-it basis] |
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{{sf-film-stub}} |
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{{Martin Campbell}} |
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[[Category:1994 films]] |
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[[Category:1990s action films]] |
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[[Category:Science fiction action films]] |
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[[Category:Prison films]] |
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[[Category:English-language films]] |
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[[Category:American films]] |
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[[de:Flucht aus Absolom]] |
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[[fr:Absolom 2022]] |
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[[it:Fuga da Absolom]] |
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[[ru:Не сбежать (фильм)]] |
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Revision as of 01:47, 13 October 2008
The Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl, or Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory, is a historic astronomical observatory located near the summit of the Königstuhl hill, in the city of Heidelberg in Germany. The predecessor of the current observatory was originally opened in 1774 in the nearby city of Mannheim, but degradation of observation conditions there resulted in a relocation to the Königstuhl in 1898.[1]
The observatory forms part of the Center of Astronomy of the University of Heidelberg. The Max Planck Institute for Astronomy opened on an adjacent site in 1967.[1]
As of 2006, the current director is Andreas Quirrenbach.
History
The instrumentation of the observatory originated from the Mannheim Observatory, founded in 1774. 1880 the observatory was provisionally moved to Karlsruhe because the astronomical/atmospherical seeing conditions worsened. In the subsequent time three other locations were considered from which Heidelberg-Königstuhl_(Odenwald) was decided on.
On 20 June 1898 the "Großherzogliche Bergsternwarte" was ceremonially inaugurated by Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden. The astronomical institute comprised two complementary departments, the astrophysical by Max Wolf and the astrometrical by Karl Wilhelm Valentiner. Valentiner was director of the Mannheim observatory and initiated the move to Karlsruhe. After Valentiners retirement in 1909 both departments were placed under the administration of Max Wolf.
After his call to the Bergsternwarte Max Wolf was able to find private donors, among these Catherine Wolfe Bruce for the acquisition of new powerful telescopes.
The main field of activity of the observatory was the investigation of nebulae and the search for asteroids. Wolf, his staff and his successors discovered over 800 asteroids, including the first trojan asteroid Achilles in 1906.
The observatory ceased to be run by the German federal government in 2005 when it was joined together with the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics and Astronomical Calculation Institute to make up the Center of Astronomy of the University of Heidelberg.
Between 1912 and 1957 Karl Wilhelm Reinmuth discovered almost 400 asteroids from the Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl.
See also
References
- ^ a b Template:De
External links
- Official observatory website (German/English)
Template:Center of Astronomy (University of Heidelberg) 49°23′53.16″N 8°43′31.23″E / 49.3981000°N 8.7253417°E
 | This article about a specific observatory, telescope or astronomical instrument is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |