The Vienna Observatory () is an

astronomical Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest include ...

observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysics, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. Th ...

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

, Austria. It is part of the

University of Vienna The University of Vienna (, ) is a public university, public research university in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, Duke Rudolph IV in 1365, it is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and among the largest ...

. The first observatory was built in 1753–1754 on the roof of one of the university buildings. A new observatory was built between 1874 and 1879, and was finally inaugurated by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria in 1883. The main dome houses a refractor with a diameter of and a focal length of built by the Grubb Telescope Company. At that time, it was the world's largest refracting telescope. Land for the new observatory was purchased in 1872, and was noted for having increased elevations (about 150 ft) above the city. Construction started in March 1874, and it was opened with new instruments in 1877. The overall design had various rooms and three main domes, one for the Grubb refractor and then two smaller domes, and some terraces. At this time there were larger aperture reflecting telescopes, and the main technologies of metal mirror and silver on glass; however they had not yet established a strong reputation for themselves and there continued a strong interest in refractors for better or worse until the 20th century. A report published in the publication

Nature Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the Ecosphere (planetary), ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the Scientific law, laws, elements and phenomenon, phenomena of the physic ...

in notes that the 69 cm / 27-inch Grubb observed planets, comets, and nebula between 1903 and 1906. Observations with a 6-inch Fraunhofer refractor telescope of comets and planets between 1903 and 1910 was also noted. Refraktor Wien Kerschbaum 1

Directors

* 1756–1792 Maximilian Hell * 1792–1817 Franz de Paula Triesnecker * 1819–1840 Johann Josef von Littrow * 1842–1877 Karl Ludwig von Littrow * 1877–1908 Edmund Weiss * 1928–1938 Kasimir Graff * 1940–1945 Bruno Thüring * 1945–1949 Kasimir Graff * 1951–1962 Josef Hopmann * 1962–1979Josef Meurers * 1979–1981Karl Rakos * 1981–1984Werner Tscharnuter * 1984–1986Michel Breger * 1986–1994Paul Jackson * 1994–2005Michel Breger * 2006–2009Gerhard Hensler * 2009–2011Franz Kerschbaum * 2011–2012Manuel Güdel * 2012–2013João Alves * 2013–2018Bodo Ziegler * 2018–2022Manuel Güdel * 2022–pres.Glenn van de Ven

References

External links

University of Vienna Institute of Astronomy home page

{{Authority control Astronomical observatories in Austria Buildings and structures in Währing Museums in Vienna Science museums in Austria University of Vienna Great refractors 1883 establishments in Austria

Directors

See also

References

External links