Here's how the 2026 Long Night of Research went at the observatory!

Group photo of the volunteers in red University of Vienna T-shirts on the main staircase of the University Observatory

100 volunteers made it possible! © Petra Schönfelder

The University Observatory was once again part of this great initiative! 

On April 26, from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., we hosted a venue for the Long Night of Research. Over 2,000 visitors came to see us and had a great time at the 20 stations we had set up. There were also gifts from the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

Photo Impressions from the Long Night of Research 2026

What can you expect at the University Observatory?

Telescopes und observations

  • Astronomy@home -- Can I discover new things as an amateur??
  • What does the giant eye of the observatory really see?
  • What hidden treasure awaits in the West Dome?

Research in astrophysics

  • Where in space could there be a second Earth—and how can we find it?
  • Why has the universe inspired art and imagination for centuries?
  • Do stars have fingerprints—and what do they tell us?
  • What can astronomy teach us about the climate crisis?
  • What new insights can you expect to gain from our short presentations?
  • Hands-on: Can you feel how stars and planets are formed? (also for visually impaired people)
  • Mission Universe: Can you find all the clues to solve the puzzle?

Kids program

  • How does a rocket manage to overcome gravity?
  • Where would you fly to if you could launch into space today?
  • How colorful, large, or wild can a planetary system be when you create it as a bracelet?
  • What new constellations would you draw in the sky?
  • How do you bring a starry sky into your home?
  • What would our constellations look like if we could see them in 3D?

Physics - Electronic microscopes

  • Would you like to see individual atoms live? In one of the best electron microscopes in the world?
  • What happens when we move individual atoms in a targeted manner?
  • How does metal "grow" – and why does it look almost alive?