astronomy

Zimmerwald Observatory

Zimmerwald Observatory is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Zimmerwald Observatory rather than just read about it. In short: The Zimmerwald Observatory (German: Observatorium Zimmerwald) is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the Institute of Astronomy of the University of Bern. It has five telescopes of various sizes.

Key takeaways

Zimmerwald Observatory belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Zimmerwald Observatory to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Zimmerwald Observatory from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Zimmerwald Observatory (German: Observatorium Zimmerwald) is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the Institute of Astronomy of the University of Bern. It has five telescopes of various sizes.

Location The observatory is located at Zimmerwald, 10 kilometres south of Bern, Switzerland. It is situated on the Längenberg, a chain of hills. It offers a view of the Bernese Alps from 900 metres high.

History In 1922, the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Bern commenced its astronomical observations at the Muesmatt Observatory, also known as the Old Observatory. Though, this was unsuccessful due to air pollution and the observatory's low-lying position. In 1956, the observatory was moved to Zimmerwald, a high-altitude location that was considered an ideal choice for an observatory, due to its proximity to the city and freeness from the limitations of air and light pollution. In 1976 the compact small extension for the second dome with the ZIMLAT telescope was constructed. The 1-meter aperture ZIMLAT telescope was inaugurated in 1997. The 1m ZIMLAT telescope aims to observe satellites for 24 hours a day, weather permitting.

Discoveries Numerous comets and asteroids have been discovered by Paul Wild (1925–2014) at Zimmerwald Observatory, most notably comet 81P/Wild, which was visited by NASA's Stardust space probe in 2004. The main belt asteroid 1775 Zimmerwald has been named after the location of the observatory.

See also List of largest optical reflecting telescopes Swiss Space Office

References

External links Zimmerwald Observatory

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Zimmerwald Observatory

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Zimmerwald Observatory claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Zimmerwald Observatory before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Zimmerwald Observatory ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Zimmerwald Observatory

In research: Zimmerwald Observatory appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Zimmerwald Observatory in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Zimmerwald Observatory is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical observatories in Switzerland, Space Situational Awareness Programme, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Zimmerwald Observatory outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Zimmerwald Observatory in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Zimmerwald Observatory means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Zimmerwald Observatory out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Zimmerwald Observatory in simple terms?

Why does Zimmerwald Observatory matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Zimmerwald Observatory?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Zimmerwald Observatory.