Guided Tours

The Institut für Astrophysik und Geophysik (IAG) offers public guided tours with the opportunity to observe through the 50 cm reflecting telescope at fixed dates. During the tours the equipment of the institute for research and education will be presented. If the sky is clear fascinating celestrial objects (e.g. moon, planets, gas nebula, star clusters, galaxies) will be shown through the telescope. In addition, a half hour presentation of a topic on current astronomical research will be given.

Dates of public guided tours:

• Wednesday, 12 August 2026: Lange Nacht der Astronomie
  15:30-18:30 Shows in a mobile planetarium and booths at the MPI for Solar System Research (MPS)
  18:30 Chalk Talk Geschichte der Sonnenforschung (Dr. Achim Gandorfer, Auditorium MPS)
  19:00-21:00 Observation of the solar eclipse with special telescopes on the platform of the IAG
  Live-Stream: https://live.gwdg.de/play/sofi2026
  21:00 Public lecture Astrofotografie mit Handy und Kamera (Dr. Philipp Wittmann, Auditorium MPS)
  22:00-23:00 Star gazing and observation of the Perseids meteor shower on the platform of the IAG
  
• Monday, 21 September 2026, 20:00 hours
  Observing targets: Moon, binary stars
  Topic of the presentation: tba
  

Guided tours will take place at any weather conditions. However, no observations through the telescope will be possible when the sky is covered. No reservations are required. Admittance is free - volontary donotations for our public outreach activities are welcome.

Meeting point for guided tours:
Fakultät für Physik, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1 (formerly Tammannstr. 1), entrance Northeast (Tammannstraße/ near Justus-von-Liebig-Weg). Map
Due to organizational reasons entrance is possible only punctually at the beginning of the tour.

For school classes we offer special tours of the institute on prior arrangement.