Astronomy Bas-Rhin

An essential meeting of the sky and the stars, the Astronomical Observatory in Strasbourg is a must to visit absolutely because of its large astronomical telescope of 48.7 cm diameter for 7 m in length, sheltered under an impressive iron dome of 9.2 m in diameter weighing around 34 tons! His story is quite surprising and really begins when Alsace-Moselle is transferred to Germany after the war of 1870. Guillaume I of Germany decides to make the city a symbol of progress by installing a university, a botanical garden and an astronomical observatory. A large dome and its main building, and the meridian rooms with two cupolas are built. The bezel itself, whose lens consists of lentils (unlike telescopes that mainly use mirrors), is manufactured by the German company Repsold & Söhne based in Hamburg. The vagaries of history then change the observatory on several occasions! Today it brings together the Observatory of Sciences of the Universe, an internal school at the University of Strasbourg, as well as a Joint Research Unit between the University of Strasbourg and the CNRS.

The visit of the big dome lasts about 20 minutes, moments of pure happiness before a instrument as beautiful as symbolic. This telescope, the third largest in France after those of Meudon and Nice, is indeed the romantic representation of the work of the astronomer as perceived in the collective imagination. At his feet, one would seem to look at Tintin's mysterious star, and try to pierce the mysteries of the universe. It falls well, several times in the year of the "night evenings" are proposed with observation through the bezel! An unspoiled spectacle organized in partnership with the planetarium of the Jardin des Sciences.

Unique in Alsace! Alexandra Herrgott opens the doors of her star shops to you. As a passionate person, she will make you discover her equipment: Sky Watcher telescopes, astronomical glasses, globes... In addition to being able to purchase the equipment of the perfect celestial observer, you can attend workshops, a virtual reality session or join the book club. As if that wasn't enough, the host can come to your home and project the stars of our galaxy and show you them. Ideal for a unique birthday. You can also rent telescopes. How can you not have your head in the stars after all this?

This planetarium offers sessions of about 55 minutes focused on the discovery of the sky, stars, constellations, and on themes extended to astronomy and space in general. The dome on which the celestial representations are projected measures 8 m in diameter and the room can accommodate about fifty people (reservation recommended). For those who want to enjoy "real" observations of the sky through specific instruments, it is possible to combine planetarium sessions and observations through the large telescope of the observatory and other instruments installed in the gardens (duration 1h30 approximately, reservation required).