Eschenberg Observatory
The observatory Mountain Ash in Winterthur (Canton Zurich ) was built in 1979 by the Astronomical Society of Winterthur in a dark location in a clearing in the city forest mountain ash. Meanwhile, the small observatory has developed into a widely known beyond the country's borders institution that unites the Public Observatory and Planetoidenforschung.
Tasks
Winterthur's observatory offers star map guides for a wide audience, schools and groups and is also used for scientific tasks since 1998. The co-founder and long-time director of the observatory Markus Griesser has sent more than 20,000 high-precision position measurements on so-called near-Earth asteroids to the Minor Planet Center in the United States from that station today. Such measurements are needed for precise orbit determination. Potentially Hazardous Asteroids In so-called ( Potentially Hazardous Asteroids ), they help assess a possible Impaktrisiko for the Earth early. There are already some asteroids have been discovered, named, among others, according to the city of Winterthur, Griessers Location Wiesendangen and after the Winterthur musician and orchestra leader Hanna Wieser.
Equipment
The observatory Mountain Ash has for the scientific tasks on a bright 40cm reflecting telescope with modern electronic cameras. The Public's operation with a powerful telescope, a 20cm refractor of the latest design, is available that allows even high magnifications with favorable air conditions.
The design of the observatory with a sunroof instead of a dome allows observations of large-scale phenomena in the sky with the naked eye or with binoculars. Thus explanations of currently visible constellations, interesting individual stars and planets are possible. The audience can thanks to this open-roof design follow the migration of satellite and fall of shooting stars.
Data
The Observatory has the following geographical coordinates ( according to the reference system WGS 84):
- 47 ° 28'28 .9 " N
- 8 ° 44'34 .1 " E
- Height: 542 m above sea level. M.