Munkebjergskolens observatorium - Odense, Denmark - Astronomical Observatories on Waymarking.com

Dansk: Observatoriet ligger i toppen af Munkebjergskolen, men er åbent for alle interesserede på udvalgte dage. Større grupper kan booke en tid. Etableret 1934.

Historien om Munkebjergskolens Observatorium starter i 1609, da Galileo Galilei retter det første primitive teleskop mod stjernerne. Knap 300 år senere var der sket enorme tekniske fremskridt, og teleskopet havde udviklet sig til astronomens vigtigste værktøj. Den velhavende distriktslæge og amatørastronom Maximilian Seligmann fra Middelfart kunne i 1897 således stille et efter datidens forhold meget avanceret teleskop op i en dertil indrettet tilbygning på tagetagen i hans hus på Nygade 5.

30 år senere blev der på grund af den aldrende læges helbred efterhånden længere og længere mellem, at teleskopet var i brug. Maximillan Seligmann gav derfor Odense Kommune et meget generøst tilbud. Kommunen kunne kvit og frit få overdraget teleskopet. Eneste betingelse var, at der skulle opføres et observatorium, som for fremtiden skulle fungere dels som et skoleobservatorium dels som et folkeobservatorium.

Odense Kommune ville imidlertid først sikre sig, at teleskopet var noget værd, inden man takkede ja til gaven og skulle bekoste opførelsen af et observatorium. Der blev derfor rettet forespørgsel til flere af Danmarks førende astronomer, som stort set samstemmende sagde god for teleskopet.

Odense Kommune kunne herefter begynde at se sig om for at finde et velegnet sted til observatoriet. Der blev stillet adskillige forslag som f.eks. Odense Tekniske Skole ved Munke Mose, på Fyns Stiftsmuseum i Jernbanegade, på Restaurant Sorgenfri i Fruens Bøge og på Jernbanegades Skole. Overvejelserne trak så længe ud, at Dr. Seligmann nåede at afgå ved døden i 1929, hvilket betød, at arvingerne måtte rykke for et svar.

Teleskopet blev efterfølgende afhentet i Middelfart og deponeret i nogle kasser på loftet over Katedralskolen. Der var bred enighed om, at det oplagte sted til observatoriet ville være i forbindelse med en skole, og til sidst faldt valget på Munkebjergskolen, der blev opført i begyndelsen af 1930’erne.

Munkebjergskolen blev indviet den 1. april 1934. På dette tidspunkt stod Observatoriet ikke helt færdigt, og først lidt mere end et halvt år senere, nærmere bestemt torsdag den 6. december 1934, fandt Observatoriets officielle indvielse sted. Inden da havde magister Carl Luplau Janssen fra Uraniaobservatoriet på Frederiksberg i København været i Odense for at justere kikkerten, så dens akse pegede præcist på himlens nordpol. Fyns Venstreblad bragte et længere interview med Luplau Janssen, som samme dag også havde skrevet en kronik til avisen om, hvordan et astronomisk observatorium er indrettet.

English: The observatory is located at the top of Munkebjergskolen, but is open to anyone interested on selected days. Larger groups can book an appointment. Established 1934.

The story of Munkebjergskolen's Observatory begins in 1609, when Galileo Galilei points the first primitive telescope at the stars. Nearly 300 years later, enormous technical advances had been made, and the telescope had developed into the astronomer's most important tool. In 1897, the wealthy district physician and amateur astronomer Maximilian Seligmann from Middelfart was able to set up a telescope, which was very advanced at the time, in a dedicated extension on the roof of his house on Nygade 5.

30 years later, due to the health of the aging doctor, the telescope became longer and longer between uses. Maximillan Seligmann therefore gave Odense Municipality a very generous offer. The municipality could freely hand over the telescope. The only condition was that an observatory should be built, which in the future would function partly as a school observatory and partly as a people's observatory.

Odense Municipality, however, first wanted to make sure that the telescope was worth something before accepting the gift and having to pay for the construction of an observatory. Inquiries were therefore directed to several of Denmark's leading astronomers, who largely agreed in favor of the telescope.

Odense Municipality could then start looking around to find a suitable place for the observatory. Several proposals were made, such as Odense Technical School at Munke Mose, at Funen Diocesan Museum in Jernbanegade, at Restaurant Sorgenfri in Fruens Bøge and at Jernbanegades School. The deliberations dragged on for so long that Dr. Seligmann managed to retire at death in 1929, which meant the heirs had to jerk for an answer.

The telescope was subsequently picked up in Middelfart and deposited in some boxes in the attic above the Cathedral School. There was broad agreement that the obvious location for the observatory would be in connection with a school, and eventually the choice fell on Munkebjergskolen, which was built in the early 1930s.

Munkebjergskolen was inaugurated on April 1, 1934. At this time, the Observatory was not completely finished, and only a little more than half a year later, more specifically Thursday, December 6, 1934, the Observatory's official inauguration took place. Before that, Master Carl Luplau Janssen from the Urania Observatory at Frederiksberg in Copenhagen had been in Odense to adjust the binoculars so that its axis pointed precisely at the north pole of the sky. Fyns Venstreblad brought a longer interview with Luplau Janssen, who on the same day had also written a column for the newspaper about how an astronomical observatory is set up.

Observatory Purpose: Private Optical / Infrared Telescopes?: Yes Radio Telescopes?: No Solar Telescopes?: No Open to the Public?: Yes Public Viewing Allowed?: Yes Active Observatory?: Active Number of Telescopes or Antennas: 1 Site URL: [Web Link] Year Dedicated or Opened: 1934 Altitude (meters): 37 Is this a Club Observatory?: Not listed

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