Long Night of the Stars — Thuringian State Observatory Tautenburg

Astronomy Research Station in the Saale-Holzland District

The Thuringian State Observatory Tautenburg — officially the Karl Schwarzschild Observatory — is located in a forest above the small village of Tautenburg in the Saale-Holzland district. It is one of Germany's most important astronomical research stations. Once a year, the observatory invites you to the Long Night of the Stars: On one evening, the observatory opens its doors to the public, presents its telescopes, offers insights into ongoing research work, and provides a packed program of guided tours and lectures.

2-Meter Alfred Jensch Telescope and LOFAR

At the heart of the observatory stands the 2-meter Alfred Jensch Telescope, one of Germany's largest optical telescopes. During the Long Night, the dome opens, and visitors can watch the telescope at work — in clear weather, live observations are even projected onto the dome ceiling. A second highlight: the LOFAR radio telescope (Low Frequency Array), part of a Europe-wide radio telescope network used to receive, among other things, low-frequency radio waves from the distant universe.

Lectures on Black Holes, Exoplanets, and Star Formation

Lectures by the observatory's scientists take place hourly — on topics such as black holes, star formation, exoplanets, giant radio galaxies, stellar companions, and current observation campaigns. In clear weather, constellation tours and observations with smaller telescopes are offered on the meadow in front of the observatory. Collaboration with the Jena Urania Observatory complements the observation program.

Tautenburg and the Saale-Holzland

Tautenburg is a small village in the Saale-Holzland district in the state of Thuringia, about 15 kilometers northeast of Jena. The observatory is easily accessible via the A4 motorway (Jena-Lobeda exit) and small country roads — the dark starry sky above the Tautenburg forest makes the location one of the best observation sites in Central Germany.