Brorfelde Observatory

Brorfelde Observatory (Brorfelde Observatoriet; obs.&thinsp;code: 054) is an astronomical observatory located in Brorfelde near Holbæk, Denmark. It is home to the Brorfelde Schmidt Telescope and was run as a branch of the Copenhagen University Observatory until 1996. It still has telescopes that are used by University of Copenhagen students, but the operating staff moved to the Rockefeller Complex in Copenhagen.

Brorfelde Observatory and Brorfelde was a part of a Danish advent calendar running in 2012, and 2019 on DR1 - a Danish national TV channel.

Instruments


The 77-centimetre Schmidt telescope from 1966 at Brorfelde Observatory was originally equipped with photographic film. An engineer is here showing the film-box, which was then placed behind the locker at the center of the telescope (at the telescope's prime focus).

Recognition
The Hungaria asteroid 3309 Brorfelde was discovered and named after the observatory, marking its inaugural minor planet discovery. The naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 7 September 1987 (M.P.C. 12210).

People related to the observatory

 * Bengt Strömgren, Danish astronomer instrumental in founding it.
 * Poul Jensen, Asteroid discoverer
 * Karl Augustesen, Asteroid discoverer