Solar research at the Einstein Tower: insights into its past and present
GUIDED TOUR AND INFORMATION BOOTH (ID: 1)
Visitors of the Einstein Tower get exciting insights into the history and present state of solar research and learn about the significant role the observatory played in proving Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity based on experiments. Because of the space limitations of the historic building, a maximum of 20 people are allowed in the Einstein Tower at any one time. Therefore, there might be some waiting time if there are many visitors.
Location: House A22
Large Refractor: Fascinating exhibits and the world’s fourth-largest refracting telescope
GUIDED TOUR, INFO STAND (ID: 2)
Scientists present exciting exhibits and introduce the world’s fourth-largest refracting telescope. The Great Refractor features 80- and 50-centimeter lenses, making it a double refractor. In 1904, Johannes Hartmann discovered the interstellar medium here. After being damaged during the war and remaining out of service for decades, the historically protected telescope was extensively restored thanks to the “Förderverein Großer Refraktor Potsdam e.V.” (Friends of the Great Refractor of Potsdam), an association founded specifically for this purpose, and reopened in 2006. In 2024, the Great Refractor celebrated its 125th anniversary. Today, it regularly hosts the AIP’s popular observation nights.
Location: House A27
Make your own star chart: Discover the fascinating world of the starry sky through play
HANDS-ON ACTIVITY (ID: 3)
At the Great Refractor, young and old visitors can get creative. Come along to the AIP stand to make your own star chart and discover the fascinating world of the starry sky.
Location: House A27
Time: 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
A deep gaze into the void: the Hubble and Webb Ultra Deep Fields
LECTURE (ID: 4)
In 1995, the publication of the Hubble Deep Fields sparked a minor revolution in extragalactic astronomy. These ‘deep’ observations, taken with very long exposure times in seemingly empty regions of the sky, enabled scientists to peer deep into the past of our Universe and thus draw conclusions about the evolution of galaxies. Today, the James Webb Telescope complements the optical Hubble images with infrared observations. In her talk, Tanya Urrutia will present these ‘deep’ images, her own work on complementary spectra using the MUSE instrument at the Very Large Telescope in Chile, and offer an outlook on future research in this field.
Location: House H
Time: 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm
The famous Michelson experiment
EXHIBITION, GUIDED TOUR (ID: 5) (in collaboration with the PIK)
In 1881, in the cellar of what is now the Michelsonhaus, Michelson first demonstrated his interferometer and was awarded the Nobel Prize for this work in 1907. His experiments provided support for the theory of relativity, and the interferometer’s principle is still used today, amongst other things, to detect gravitational waves. A replica of Michelson’s legendary experiment can be viewed at the original site.
Location: House A31
Time: Guided tours every 30 minutes, 2:00 pm & 2:30 pm – commentary in English