Wilhelm Foerster Observatory
The Wilhelm Foerster Observatory in Berlin is one of the largest public observatories , but is also known for special telescopes and some research topics.
The listed complex is located on the Insulaner , a mountain of rubble in the Schöneberg district of Berlin , Tempelhof-Schöneberg district . It is 78.40 meters above sea level ; the geographical coordinates are 52 ° 27 '27 " N , 13 ° 21' 5" O .
A little to the west at the foot of the Insulaner ( Munsterdamm 90) are the Zeiss Planetarium and the library. All facilities are part of the Wilhelm-Foerster-Sternwarte e. V. summarized.
The history of the observatory
The history of the observatory can be read in an exhibition in the planetarium at the Insulaner.
Foundation and years of development (1947–1970)
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On October 15, 1947, Hans Mühle and Hans Rechlin founded the Wilhelm Foerster Institute (Berlin-South Observatory). The allied commandant's office is considered to be the official establishment of a trade license . The name “Wilhelm Foerster Institute” goes back to Richard Sommer. He was a student of Wilhelm Foerster and for many years head of the planetarium at the Zoo station and the Archenhold observatory .
The first location of the observatory was the casino of the former General Command in the ruins of General-Pape-Strasse 2 in Schöneberg. After the rubble had been removed, the half-ruin could be equipped with a lecture room for around 40 people, an office with a library, a workshop, a photo laboratory and two observation platforms. Soon the first school classes were given lectures and guided tours. Observations were made with self-made 7 and 8 inch telescopes.
In October 1949 the astronomical working group of the Archenhold observatory and the astronomy courses of the Tempelhof adult education center were relocated to the Wilhelm Foerster Institute. In January 1951, the damaged could Urania refractor, the so-called " Bamberg - refractor in the destroyed building in the Urania" Invalidenstrasse dismantled and in the Pape Street General be brought.
On June 8, 1953, the current Wilhelm-Foerster-Sternwarte e. V. founded. The institute was transferred to the association. The 12-inch Bamberg refractor was installed there in 1955, and a general overhaul by Askania , Berlin-Mariendorf , took place in 1962. In November 1961, the foundation stone of the new observatory on the islander was laid. On January 30, 1963, the observatory opened in the new building. The Bamberg refractor is in the 11-meter dome, the 6-inch Schreiber refractor is in the 5-meter dome and a 7-inch telescope is on the platform. After the foundation stone was laid for the Zeiss planetarium on November 15, 1963, it was opened on June 16, 1965. In 1966 the refractor - affectionately known as "Bambi" - was given a mobile observation staircase. The staircase weighs 718 kg and cost 3,344 marks (adjusted for purchasing power in today's currency: around 6,600 euros).
Between 1967 and 1968 the 6-inch double refractor with Zeiss B lens was completely rebuilt (frequency-controlled drive - later converted to stepper motors).
Since 1969 the observatory has housed the satellite observatory of the TU Berlin , from which, among other things, the TUBSAT-A radio connection, which was launched on July 17, 1991, could be established.
Expansion of the observatory (1970–1990)
In 1971 a 75 cm aluminum mirror with a focal length of 5780 mm was taken on loan from the Milan observatory . In 1973 the collapsible 75 cm reflector telescope was made entirely of aluminum . The entire instrument has a weight of only 360 kg and is portable. For example, it was used on a solar eclipse excursion to Mauritania on June 30, 1973 .
In August 1972, construction of a separate building with a 7-meter dome began on the island. The 75 cm mirror was officially inaugurated on November 9, 1973 on the occasion of a visit by Federal President Gustav Heinemann .
From 1982 a special solar telescope was built. This is located on the roof of the planetarium extension. It is used to project the image of the sun onto the planetarium dome. In 1988 the instrument was put into operation.
In a fire on May 10, 1988, the copper roof and the seating on the planetarium dome was destroyed. The technical equipment could be brought to safety. In November 1988, the repair work on the fire damage was completed.
The Ritchey-Chrétien Telescope (RCT) was handed over on December 15, 1990 . In September 1996 a general overhaul of the Bamberg refractor by the company 4H-Jena-Engineering began. The re-inauguration of the restored refractor took place on August 30, 1997. A cable fire destroyed the image processing system in the mirror dome of the observatory on August 18, 1996.
On October 22, 1997, the WFS celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Instruments
Many of the technical achievements could also be bought or repaired with the help of lottery funds , which, in addition to funding from the State of Berlin and income from membership fees and visitor money, make up an important part of the financing.
The Bamberg refractor
The Bamberg refractor was built in 1889 by the Carl Bamberg company in Friedenau for Berlin's Urania . With its aperture of 314 mm and a focal length of 5000 mm, it was the largest telescope in Prussia at that time . The complete telescope with its mount weighs 4.5 tons. After the Second World War , the instrument was first set up in General-Pape-Strasse before being housed in the 11-meter dome of the observatory on the Insulaner in 1963.
It was with him that the recordings for the “Berlin Moon Atlas” were obtained.
The 6-inch double refractor
The 6-inch double refractor is located in the 5-meter dome. The main tubes have a three -lens , apochromatic Zeiss-B lens and a three-lens HAB lens (semi-apochromat by Wolfgang Busch). The focal length is 2250 mm each.
A 5-inch refractor is mounted parallel to the 6-inch double refractor. This is equipped with an Öhmann-Lyot filter (switchable between 0.5 and 0.7 Å bandwidth, manufactured by B. Halle Successor in Berlin-Steglitz) for solar observation in the light of the hydrogen spectral line.
The 75 cm RCT mirror
The Ritchey-Chrétien telescope has a free aperture of 700 mm and a variable focal length from 5,600 to 10,500 mm. This Zeiss instrument is computer controlled and is the brightest telescope in Berlin.
Events
The association “Wilhelm-Foerster-Sternwarte e. V. “is supposed to cultivate and promote astronomy in Berlin. It is his job to impart astronomical knowledge to those interested.
For the public, events for all age groups are offered in the regular guided tour. From kindergarten and school tours to observation of the sun and bright objects during the day and presentation of the current night sky to special themed tours following the planetarium programs, the visitor is offered a wide range of instruments and objects observed.
There is also the opportunity to use the observatory for special astronomical events such as eclipses or planetary transits. In 2004 the transit of Venus could be observed, a year earlier the transit of Mercury could be seen.
The seminar room also offers courses for beginners, advanced learners and those interested in special astronomy areas such as the theory of relativity .
The activities within the framework of the various working groups encompass large parts of astronomy.
WFS award
The WFS Prize is an award from the Wilhelm Foerster Observatory (WFS) for deserving amateur astronomers .
It has only been awarded three times:
- 1989 to Adolf Voigt and Hans Giebler for the creation of the Berlin moon atlas .
- 1990 to Martin Mayer for his work in the field of astronomical popular education.
- 1995 to Wolfgang Lille for his excellent solar observations.
