EXPO-Sternwarte Melle, Public observatory in Melle, Germany.
The EXPO-Sternwarte Melle houses the world's largest Newton telescope designed specifically for public observations, featuring a 1.12-meter mirror diameter and 4.4-meter focal length that provides exceptional clarity for viewing celestial objects.
Founded on June 3, 2000, during the Expo 2000 period by the Astronomical Society Bochum/Melle, this observatory was constructed through community effort and sponsorship to bring professional-grade astronomical observation capabilities to the general public.
The facility serves as an educational hub for the local community, regularly hosting guided tours, lectures, and workshops that foster scientific curiosity and promote STEM education among visitors of all ages.
Open daily from 09:00 to 17:00 by appointment, the observatory is accessible via the A30 motorway Melle-West exit or by bus 305 from Melle railway station, with free parking available on-site.
This observatory features the world's most powerful Newtonian amateur telescope, capable of gathering 35,000 times more light than the human eye, enabling visitors to observe planetary details and deep-space objects with extraordinary precision.
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