Heinz-Reinhardt-Sternwarte in St. Ottilien

The dome, which has been in operation since 2014, meets all the requirements we have for an observatory used both for educational purposes and for public outreach. The minor issues that initially existed have since been resolved quickly and without unnecessary bureaucracy. The user-friendly integration with our mount makes observing easier for inexperienced users, while computer control is available for advanced astrophotography. The dome harmonizes excellently with the rest of the equipment in our observatory, in particular with the Celestron C14 Edge HD on a 10Micron GM2000 HPS mount. Heinz Reinhard, December 2019 This astronomical observatory is an excellent example of what a low-cost public observatory on an open field should look like if the advice given by Baader is implemented consistently. The observatory is located at the top - with the main observation instrument high enough above the turbulent, near-Earth air exchange zone. Downstairs there is a small storage room for additional equipment - and also a large open space for the club members to set up their equipment - so that club life can flourish. Update April 2020: To our great dismay, Mr. Reinhard, director of the Ottilien Observatory, passed away in February 2020 at the age of 80. We are therefore publishing here, embedded on the right as a PDF, his obituary as well as a report on the observatory from the local magazine “Jezza” from 2015. Update 2024: Since 2024, the St. Ottilien Observatory has been equipped with a Celestron RASA 8, which replaces the previously installed MEADE telescope and provides optimal conditions for fast deep-sky imaging. Astro photographs taken at the St. Ottilien Observatory (further images can be found in the Galerie):