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The Anton Pannekoek Observatory

The Anton Pannekoek Observatory consists of two domes on top of the FNWI-building and an observation terrace on the roof of the C-wing. Thanks to the observatory, astronomy students can do research-quality observations in their first year.

Observation terrace

Students make their first observations on the roof terrace with one of the 10cm apochromatic refractors attached to Losmandy-GM-mounts, and photograph them with a special camera. After that they use these pictures to calculate, for example, the depth of a moon crater or the distance to Mars.

Stellar dome and solar dome

Later in their first year, students can choose a course that involves observations with our big telescopes. In our stellar dome we have a 51cm Richey-Chretien Telescope. In our solar dome we have a 35cm Meade-Schmidt-Cassegrain, a 10cm Polarex Refractor and a 16cm Secia Refractor. With these telescopes, the students not only make beautiful images, but also construct spectra and make luminosity comparisons. Third-year bachelor students can answer fairly complex research questions using their observations.