Bamberg-Refraktor

The Bamberg-Refraktor is a refracting telescope with a 320-millimeter aperture and 5-meter focal length located at the Wilhelm-Foerster Observatory. The instrument remains permanently installed and serves mainly for sky viewing sessions open to the public.

Carl Bamberg built this refracting telescope in 1889, and it ranked among the largest optical instruments in Prussia at that time. Over the decades, it became an important tool for astronomical discoveries at the observatory.

The telescope continues to serve public observation sessions, drawing people who want to explore the night sky. The observatory has become a gathering place where curious visitors and amateur astronomers meet.

You can visit the telescope during scheduled observation nights throughout the year with trained staff on hand to assist. It helps to check opening times beforehand and stay flexible in case of cloudy weather.

Important asteroids were discovered using this telescope, including Berolina in 1896 and the asteroid Eros in 1898 by observers at the observatory. These findings show how a telescope now over 130 years old proved capable of contributing to scientific knowledge.

Location: Schöneberg

Location: Tempelhof-Schöneberg

Inception: 1889

Part of: Wilhelm-Foerster-Sternwarte (Berlin, Germany)

Website: https://wfs.berlin/instrumente

GPS coordinates: 52.45750,13.35111

Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:42