Note: In spring 2025, the Thuringian State Observatory will invite the public to the “Open House" again. We will publish more information on our website soon.
There are free guided tours of the observatory for:
Groups (more than eight people)
If you are interested in a group tour, please coordinate with us by phone or via email tours@tls-tautenburg.de. |
Individuals
No registration is required for visits on the first Thursday of the month. |
Our privacy policy applies to the tours. Access to the telescope is not barrier-free.
Don't miss the Tautenburg Tiny Telescope when you come visit!
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We have a special attraction for young visitors: the Tautenburg Tiny Telescope. Dr. Thomas Sperling und Dr. Christian Andreas, both researchers at the Thuringian State Observatory, completed the model in their spare time in around six months with a great deal of dedication. They built a true-to-scale replica of the Alfred Jensch telescope, half of the dome roof and the observation platform was used for night-time observations in the past. Sperling and Andreas named the 50-centimetre-high model the “Tautenburg Tiny Telescope”. Originally, the idea was just to recreate the telescope. Gradually, however, the idea of integrating further details - such as the wooden observation platform, part of the dome structure and the TES telescope (“Tautenburg Exoplanet Search Telescope”) - grew. It was important to the two scientists to integrate basic functions such as the movement of the telescope around two axes. The model offers the opportunity to explain the structure and operation of a large telescope to children (and their parents) in a clear and understandable way. The Tautenburg Tiny Telescope can be viewed as part of guided tours of the institute. Learn more about the Tautenburg Tiny Telescope.
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