The Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg (TLS) is a non-university research institution of the Free State of Thuringia. It conducts basic research in astrophysics. The astronomers
– search for and characterise extrasolar planets,
– observe and analyse solar and stellar oscillations,
– research gamma ray bursts,
– investigate the processes involved in star formation,
– investigate the structure and development of the Milky Way and distant galaxies,
– and track down asteroids.
The researchers at the TLS use various telescopes for their observations: the centrepiece is the 2-metre Alfred Jensch telescope for observations in the optical spectral range. A station of the European radio telescope Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) is also located on the grounds of the Thuringian State Observatory north of Jena. The astronomers at the TLS also observe at large international telescopes around the world.
The Alfred Jensch optical telescope is the largest Schmidt camera in the world. Due to its design, the Schmidt mirror has a very large field of view, so that the 2-metre telescope at the Thuringian State Observatory can observe and photograph extensive celestial objects such as galaxies, nebulae, star clusters and the orbits of asteroids. As a universal telescope, it can be converted into a Coudé telescope.
LOFAR is the world’s largest radio telescope for the reception of radio shortwaves and ultrashort waves. The receiver stations are spread across several countries in Europe: 38 stations are located at the headquarters in the Netherlands, six in Germany (one of them in Tautenburg) and others in France, Ireland, Latvia, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Since January 2024, LOFAR has been operated by a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC). The Thuringian State Observatory represents the German participants in the LOFAR ERIC.
