Hvězdárna

Hvězdárna review Rate it

Some of astronomy's greatest breakthroughs were fuelled by the obsessive accuracy of planetary observations recorded by the temperamental Dane Tycho Brahe, a favourite of Emperor Rudolf II whose work led to the discovery of oblique orbits by his protégé Johannes Kepler. Czech scientists are still at it up here, with one of Štefánik's three domes reserved for research with a 40cm Meade mirror telescope. The other two domes keep inconvenient opening hours, but there are plenty of stellar displays (some in English). By day, there's the chance to see glimpses of sunspots and solar transits by Mercury and Venus; on clear nights, you'll be greeted by panoramas of the moon, planets and the occasional nebula.