Purgathofer observatory
The Purgathofer observatory in Klosterneuburg -Kierling in Austria is the second largest private observatory in Europe. It is located on a hill above the Klosterneuburg vineyards and has the IAU code A96 .
It was built between 1982 and 1989 by Rudolf Pressberger , the mechanic of the Vienna University Observatory , and opened on April 7, 1989 by Governor Siegfried Ludwig . The builder gave the name in memory of the Austrian astronomer Alois Purgathofer , Pressberger's innovative superior and planner of the Leopold Figl Observatory .
In the dome there is a large reflector telescope with a main mirror 1 m in diameter and a system focal length of 8.80 m. The weight of the instrument is about 4 t and it is operated with a computer control. Rudolf Pressberger made not only the building himself, but also the reflector telescope and all the necessary equipment. The builder died suddenly in 2001 and the future of the observatory was uncertain for a while. In 2005 the Austrian Astronomical Association took over responsibility for the continuation and use of the observatory. It is intended for scientifically demanding observation programs.
Web links
- Purgathofer observatory
- Ing.Pressberger in memory
- Purgathofer observatory Klosterneuburg, Lower Austria
Coordinates: 48 ° 17 '43.3 " N , 16 ° 17' 8.6" E