Nachts auf der Sternwarte
The lecture series "Nights at the Observatory" presents an extensive program of lectures on a variety of topics on astrophysics. The lectures are accessible to the general public and are held in German or English (see program). After the talk there is a visit to the Great Refractor.
Measuring the Universe
Meinrad Hafner
9. January 2026
Determining the distance to celestial objects is a fundamental question in astronomy that influences virtually all other areas of research. The lecture provides an overview of various methods based on geometric, photometric, statistical, and other specialized considerations, from ancient times to current findings.
In German
The talk will take place in the lecture hall of the University Observatory and will be broadcast online at the same time. You can find the link to the video stream here.
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When and where?
Second Friday of each month (except for July and August) in the Littrow Hörsaal at the University Observatory.
The lecture starts at 18:30, admission from 18:00 to 18:45.
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Current semester program
Date Presenter Talk title Language 12.09.25 Cameren Swiggum Moving nurseries: the dynamic story of star formation in our galactic neighborhood English 10.10.25 Simon Schleich, Oliver Herbort & Nicole Pawellek Sonne, Mond und Sterne – Astronomie als Wissenschaft und Inspiration in der Musik German 14.11.25 Alvaro Hacar Observing the cold universe with ALMA English 12.12.25 Anahí Caldú Primo Radioastronomie - hören wir das Universum?
German 09.01.25 Meinrad Hafner Die Vermessung des Universums German 13.02.25 Jens Stücker Was ist außerhalb unserer Milchstraße und wie passt es in einen Computer? German -
Livestream
You must go to this Zoom link. If you are asked for a passcode write 1234
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Previous talks
2025
Talk by Anahí Caldú about "Radioastronomy - hearing the Universe?
Talk by Álvaro Hacar about "Observing the cold Universe with ALMA"
Talk by Erich Meyer about "Der gesamte Sternenhimmel als großes Fotoprojekt"
Talk by Oliver Czoske about "Dunkle Matiere und Dunkle Energie — Through the Past, Darkly"
Talk by Prashin Jethwa about "Speed Junkies: The origin and fate of the fastest stars in the Galaxy"
Talk by Laura Posch about "Sternentstehung und Nachhaltigkeit EinVortrag in zwei Akten"
2024
Talk by Franz Kerschbaum about "Die Wiener Universitätssternwarte - Eine Geschichte"
Talk by Elke Pilat-Lohinger about "Gliese 710 – Ein zweiter Stern im Sonnensystem"
Talk by Katja Fahrion about "Was uns Sternhaufen über die Entwicklung von Galaxien verraten"
Talk by Oliver Hahn about "Euclid und das kosmische Netz der Galaxien"
Talk by Roland Ottensamer about "Weltraumteleskope – den Sternen ein wenig näher"
Talk by Nicole Pawellek about "Trümmerscheiben – Eine Studie in Kollisionen"
Talk by Prashin Jethwa about "In a Spin: The science and sociology of spiral galaxies"
Talk by Meinrad Hafner about "Gravitational waves: Physics, Technology, Astronomy"
2023
Talk by Ryan Leaman about "Taste-testing recipes for 'baking' galaxy disks"
Talk by Sudeshna Boro Saikia about "Observing terrestrial exoplanets in the era of JWST"
Talk by Josefa Großschedl about "What Gaia tells us about the formation of the stars"
Talk by Nicole Pawellek about "Music of the Spheres - The Connection between Astronomy and Music"
Talk by Anahí Caldú Primo and Christian Tschinkel about "Voyager, our interstellar messenger"
Talk by Sylvia Plöckinger about "The Universe in the Computer"
Talk by Meinrad Hafner about "Sirius B: the impossible star"
2022
Talk by Stefan Meingast about VISIONS
Talk by Alice Zocchi about "The mysterious dance of old stellar clusters"
Talk by Nuria Miret Roig about "Searching for Hidden Worlds"
Talk by Gerhard Hensler about "dwarfs and satellites"
Talk by Yanina Metodieva about "Life beyond our Earth"
Talk by Christine Ackerl about "When galaxies waltz"
Talk by Oliver Czoske about "The extremely large telescope and what Austria has to do with it"
Talk by Nicole Pawellek about "How to find asteroids around other stars?"
2021
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Recordings
