The massive red brick building before you is a testament to the power of scientific curiosity. The Photographischer Refraktor, a double telescope built in 1899, is a vital part of the history of astronomy, as well as astrophysics. It was designed specifically for taking pictures of the cosmos and features a large, 80-centimeter lens that was meant for photography and a 50-centimeter lens for visual observation. It was a revolutionary design that would help astronomers study the nature of stars and the processes happening within them. One of the most famous discoveries made with this telescope is the interstellar medium, a space filled with dust and gas that lies between stars. This discovery, along with the Hartmann test, a method to measure the quality of optics, was achieved by Johannes Franz Hartmann, a German astronomer, in 1904. While the telescope suffered damage during World War II, it was restored in the 1950s. The Photographischer Refraktor was fully renovated and reopened as a public monument in 2006 after extensive refurbishment. You can visit the iconic telescope today in the Albert Einstein Science Park, where it stands as a symbol of scientific ingenuity.
Haus Tanne
What secrets does Haus Tanne hold? We stand before a remarkable red brick structure on Hermannswerder in Potsdam. Haus Tanne,