observatory
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observatory
A building equipped with large telescopes for observing the sky, stars, and other celestial bodies. It is used for scientific research and often also for public guided tours.
Wir haben letzte Nacht in der Sternwarte den Saturn durch ein Teleskop betrachtet.
Last night, we viewed Saturn through a telescope at the observatory.
The word is composed of 'Stern' (star) and 'Warte' (watchtower/lookout). 'Warte' is an old word for an observation tower or a place from which one keeps watch (related to 'warten' in the sense of 'to watch out'). A 'Sternwarte' (observatory) is therefore literally a place for observing stars.
Von der Bergspitze aus hat man einen klaren Blick auf die Sternwarte.
From the mountaintop, you have a clear view of the observatory.
Pay attention to the difference between dative and accusative. Movement to the place is expressed with 'in die Sternwarte' (to/into the observatory), while staying or doing something there is described with 'in der Sternwarte' (in/at the observatory).
Die Schulklasse fährt morgen in die Sternwarte.
The school class is going to the observatory tomorrow.
Common verbs used with 'Sternwarte' (observatory) are 'eine Sternwarte besuchen' (to visit an observatory), 'in einer Sternwarte arbeiten' (to work in an observatory), and 'Himmelskörper beobachten' (to observe celestial bodies).
An meinem Geburtstag möchte ich gerne die örtliche Sternwarte besuchen.
For my birthday, I would like to visit the local observatory.
planetarium
'die Sternwarte' and 'das Planetarium' both have to do with stars and astronomy, but they are not the same thing. In a Sternwarte, you observe the real sky with telescopes. A Planetarium shows an artificial starry sky, usually on a dome, often for visitors and for learning. In addition, 'Planetarium' can also mean the technical device that displays this starry sky. The words are easy to confuse because you learn about stars in both places. If real observation is important, you say 'Sternwarte'; if you mean a presentation inside a building, you say 'Planetarium'.
Am Abend besuchen wir die Sternwarte, um den Mond durch ein Teleskop zu sehen.
In the evening, we are visiting the observatory to see the moon through a telescope.
Im Planetarium lerne ich am Montag, wie die Planeten um die Sonne kreisen.
At the planetarium on Monday, I am learning how the planets orbit the sun.