Hexapod-Telescope

The Hexapod-Telescope is an optical instrument with a 1.5-meter mirror mounted on a specialized system that allows movement in six different directions. This flexible mounting lets the telescope point at various parts of the sky with high precision.

Engineers from Vertex and astronomers from Ruhr University Bochum's Institute of Astronomy designed the telescope's mounting system in the late 1990s. This German-Chilean partnership brought the instrument to the observatory in the Atacama region.

The telescope represents a collaboration between German engineering and Chilean astronomical research, contributing to scientific discoveries in the Atacama Desert region.

The observatory sits at 2,817 meters elevation, where thinner air means fewer disturbances for observing stars and planets. This high-altitude location provides excellent conditions for viewing the night sky.

The instrument includes the Bochum Echelle Spectrograph, a specialized device developed in partnership with Heidelberg-Königstuhl Observatory. This spectrograph breaks down starlight into its different colors to analyze stellar properties.

Elevation above the sea: 2,817 m

Diameter: 1.5 m

Part of: Cerro Murphy Observatory

Website: https://astro.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/Astrophysik/all_infos.html

GPS coordinates: -24.59806,-70.19639

Latest update: December 12, 2025 14:26