Visits to the German-Spanish Astronomical Calar Alto

The Astronomical Observatory of Calar Alto is the largest in continental Europe, with professional telescopes up to 3.5 metres aperture. It is operated jointly by the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (Spain) and the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg (Germany), producing a joint venture of international science.The visit consists of an instructive lecture about the observatory and the scientific use of telescopes in astronomy, followed by the visit to the building of one of the telescopes. Tours are guided by qualified personnel with scientific training.