Fraunhofer-Teleskop, Research telescope at Wendelstein Observatory, Germany.
The Fraunhofer Telescope is a research instrument with a 2-meter mirror operated at Wendelstein Observatory at 1,838 meters elevation. It combines optical observations with infrared imaging and serves as a modern tool for astronomical research.
The telescope was designed starting in 2008 and officially put into operation in 2012, becoming part of the observatory's modern equipment. It continues a long Bavarian history of optical research established by Fraunhofer's work in the 19th century.
The telescope is named after Joseph von Fraunhofer, a German physicist who shaped optical science and instrument design. Visitors encounter in this name a link to the German scientific tradition that has been cultivated in Bavaria for centuries.
The mountain offers about 1,350 clear nights per year for observations and is reachable by cable car or cog railway from Munich. This access makes it practical to arrive during the day and stay in the evening for observations.
The instrument can switch between two different observation stations that are automatically selectable and allow different research projects. This flexibility enables quick changes between different types of sky observation without needing to reorient the equipment.
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