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Hamburg Observatory
The Hamburg Observatory was built at its present location in Hamburg-Bergedorf
between 1906 and 1912. The buildings mirror the architecture of
that time, and the instruments form an important historical record
of astronomical research. The whole ensemble was put under monument
protection in 1996 due to its significance in cultural history.
Hamburg observatory has a long tradition. It was founded by Johann
Georg Repsold (1770-1830) in 1802 and became a State Institute in
1833. In the 19th century positional astronomy, combined with a
time service for navigation, played an important role, and the institute
was well known in the astronomical world for its achievements. In
the 20th century astrophysics started to play the dominant role.
The "Förderverein Hamburger Sternwarte" (Friends
of Hamburg Observatory), founded in 1998, helps to open the observatory
to the public by organising various events like lectures, guided
tours, Long Nights of Museums, Open Days, exhibitions, observing
activities and cultural events (lyric moonlit nights, musical presentations).
Symposium Topics
- History of the observatories around 1900
- Architecture (building in the national list of monument protection?)
- Instruments and their makers
- Important astronomers or instrument makers
- Importance in the scientific community in respect to astronomical
research (transfer from classical astronomy to modern astrophysics)
- Importance of the observatory in respect to history of science
and technology (importance for navigation, time keeping, surveying,
...)
- Handling of the heritage - monument protection (condition of
the buildings and instruments, restoration, future plans)
- Handling of other kind of heritage
- library
- archive material and photo collection
- photo plate archive
- Activities for the public understanding of science (lectures,
public observatory, planetarium, exhibitions, day of the open
house, activities for schools, cultural and musical events, ...)
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