Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 22, 2026

Brorfelde Observatory

Brorfelde Observatory 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.

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Brorfelde Observatory
Brorfelde Observatory with the building housing the Schmidt telescope at right
Named afterBrorfelde Edit this on Wikidata
Observatory code 054 Edit this on Wikidata
LocationHolbæk Municipality, Region Zealand, Denmark
Coordinates55°37′29″N 11°39′53″E / 55.624661°N 11.664739°E / 55.624661; 11.664739
Altitude60 m (200 ft)
Established1953 Edit this on Wikidata
Websiteobservatoriet.dk
Telescopes
  • Brorfelde Schmidt Telescope Edit this on Wikidata
Location of Brorfelde Observatory
Map
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Brorfelde Observatory (Danish: Brorfelde Observatoriet; observatory 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.1

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 cm Schmidt telescope source ↗

The 77-centimetre Schmidt telescope from 1966 at Brorfelde Observatory was originally equipped with photographic film.2 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.1 The naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 7 September 1987 (M.P.C. 12210).3

Minor planets

Minor planets discovered: more than 100
3033 Holbaek March 5, 1984
3309 Brorfelde January 28, 1982
3312 Pedersen September 24, 1984
3369 Freuchen October 18, 1985
5165 Videnom February 11, 1985
5427 Jensmartin May 13, 1986
(7743) 1986 JA May 2, 1986
8261 Ceciliejulie September 11, 1985
9555 Frejakocha April 2, 1986
(8338) 1985 FE3 March 27, 1985
(22282) 1985 RA September 11, 1985
(24642) 1984 SA September 22, 1984
See also

See also

References

References

  1. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(3309) Brorfelde". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (3309) Brorfelde. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 276. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_3310. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  2. "UNESCO Portal to the Heritage of Astronomy - Show entity". web.astronomicalheritage.net. Retrieved 2026-01-08.
  3. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
External links