Sky & instruments
Observatories
Griffith Observatory, Kitt Peak, Mauna Kea: domes on dark, high ground. Some have a visitor centre and evenings at the telescope, others are research sites closed to the public – check the website first.
- 42
- observatories in this area
- 18
- states/provinces with entries
- 1700
- oldest built
By state
Baden-Württemberg 6Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory, Astronomical Calculation Institute, Mannheim Observatory, Stuttgart Observatory, Karlsruhe Observatory, Sternwarte Tübingen
Bayern 3Ehrensberg Observatory Traunstein, Bavarian Public Observatory Munich, Dr.-Remeis-Sternwarte
Berlin 2Berlin Observatory, Archenhold Observatory
Brandenburg 2Einstein Tower, Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam
Hamburg 2Hamburg-Bergedorf Observatory, Altona Observatory
Hessen 3Starkenburg Observatory, Hans-Ludwig-Neumann-Sternwarte, Sternwarte Limburg
Kärnten 1Kanzelhoehe Solar Observatory
Niedersachsen 2Göttingen Observatory, Lilienthal Observatory
Niederösterreich 2Purgathofer-Sternwarte, Volkssternwarte Michelbach
Nordrhein-Westfalen 3Bergisch Gladbach Observatory, Galileum Solingen, Alte Sternwarte
Rheinland-Pfalz 2Hoher List Observatory, Public Observatory Mainz
Sachsen 4Drebach Observatory, Lohrmann Observatorium, Radebeul Observatory, Sternwarte und Planetarium „Sigmund Jähn“ Rodewisch
Sachsen-Anhalt 2Astronomy Station "Samuel Heinrich Schwabe", Planetarium Halle-Kanena
Salzburg 1Vega-Sternwarte Salzburg
Schleswig-Holstein 1Bothkamp Observatory
Thüringen 4Karl Schwarzschild Observatory, Sonneberg Observatory, Jena Observatory, Seeberg Observatory
Tirol 1Old Innsbruck Observatory
Wien 1Vienna Observatory
Good to know
- The trip is worth it by day too: the domes sit on mountains, and the view from up there is often the second picture.
- Stars need a tripod and a new moon. TripPhoto shows the moon phase for every day of your trip.
- White light ruins the observing – use red light only on the grounds and switch the flash off.
Sources: Wikidata (CC0), Photos: Wikimedia Commons (author and licence per image) · Last checked on 19 September 2026