The Urania Observatory, Zurich

The Urania observatory is a stone tower of 1907 wedged into the middle of Zurich's old town, and the telescope under its dome is the long Zeiss refractor installed when it opened. The instrument is still used for public viewing: on clear evenings an operator opens the shutter, turns the dome and takes visitors through whatever is up, which is usually the moon, the bright planets and a few double stars, with a short talk before or afterwards. The tower doubles as a viewpoint over the roofs of the centre. Sessions are small, run by the local astronomical society, and depend entirely on the sky being clear, so nothing about the evening is guaranteed until you arrive.

What you actually see

• The refractor - the long Zeiss instrument under the dome, still in working use.
• The dome - opened and turned for each object during a session.
• The talk - a short introduction to what is actually visible that night.
• The tower platform - a view over the rooftops of the old town.

When to go

Autumn and winter give long dark evenings and the best chance of a session worth attending; in June it is barely dark before eleven at night. Viewing runs on set evenings and is cancelled when the sky is overcast, so check on the day itself. Places are limited and booking is sensible. Dress warmly, because the dome is unheated.

Honest expectations

Cloud cancels everything and Zurich has a great deal of cloud, so the odds of a wasted trip are real. City light pollution limits what can be seen to bright objects only. Groups are small but waiting for a turn at the eyepiece takes time, commentary is usually in German, and the tower stairs are narrow and steep.

Nearby

The old town lanes and the Lindenhof terrace are a few minutes away on foot.