Whispers of celestial secrets. That’s what the Schulsternwarte holds. Right here on the roof of the former Jesuit college on Mu00fchlenstrau00dfe. This unassuming building was once the birthplace of astronomy in Du00fcsseldorf.
Back in the early 18th century. Pater Ferdinand Orban a Jesuit priest and confessor to Elector Johann Wilhelm. He used this very Schulsternwarte to chart the heavens. Orban was no ordinary priest. He was a collector of curiosities. His collection included not just astronomical instruments but also exotic artifacts from the Far East. Imagine a collection containing even Oliver Cromwell’s skull. A gift from John Churchill himself.
Orban wasn’t alone in his astronomical pursuits. The Elector’s court mathematician Nicolas Hartsoeker built telescopes for him. Hartsoeker a skilled instrument maker also made contributions to the fields of physics and microscopy. His famous drawing of sperm cells under a microscope is still discussed today. He even built a large burning mirror. The mirror was constructed from multiple pieces similar to the one attributed to Archimedes.
The Schulsternwarte wasn’t always located here. In 1843 Johann Friedrich Benzenberg moved the observatory to Bilk. He named it Charlottenruhe after his late wife. Benzenberg himself made important contributions to astronomy and geodetic science. He even famously declared Numbers decide.
At the Bilk observatory. Benzenberg’s successor Karl Theodor Robert Luther discovered numerous asteroids. His discoveries helped advance our understanding of the solar system. The Schulsternwarte’s legacy lives on. Though the original building no longer houses an observatory. The streets around Alt St Martin now bear names like Benzenbergstrasse and Robert-Luther-Strasse. These streets serve as a permanent tribute to the astronomers who once gazed at the stars from this very spot. The Schulsternwarte. A place where science and faith met the night sky. A rich history unfolds within its walls. A tale of celestial wonders and intriguing characters. This observatory stands as a testament to Du00fcsseldorf’s scientific past. A rich heritage of discovery and observation.