In 1946 the Volkssternwarte (Observatory) was founded by Prof. Heinz Kaminski in Bochum in collaboration with the Volkshochschule (Adult Education) under the theme "Wonderful Starry World".
As large visitor crowds to the observatory, which was initially situated in the city centre, made long-term observation series at this place very difficult, the study group of the Bochumer Sternfreunde provided a subdivision. On Kaminski's instigation - the ground-breaking ceremony took place in July 1956 in Bochum-Sundern - today's institute location. In the cellar of Kaminski's adjacent private house a small room was provided for the observation station. This room became legendary in 1957 as the so-called "Sputnik-Cellar“ when on the 4th of October the signals of the first artificial earth satellite -Sputnik 1- were received.
More information under: www.iuz-bochum.de
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