Bremen is considered the city in Germany with the greatest light pollution. Nevertheless, you can still enjoy stargazing. You just have to know how and, above all, where.
Bremen is bright – even at night. Not only does this bother many people and pose a danger to wildlife, the permanent light from buildings, street lamps and advertisements also blocks the people of Bremen’s view of the night sky. t-online asked the Olbers Planetarium and explains how you can still enjoy an unforgettable view of the starry sky.
In the city itself, only the brightest stars can be seen, and people are prevented from seeing the bigger picture due to light pollution, explains Michaela Glimbotzki, deputy chairwoman of the Olbers Society in Bremen. Going up high buildings is of little use. The reflections of the light on the ground radiate in all directions, and visibility does not improve there either.
4,000 stars in the countryside, only a few dozen in the city
By comparison, in the countryside, those interested can admire up to 4,000 stars. But in the city, there are only a few dozen, says Glimbotzki. “Even the band of the Milky Way, our home galaxy, is barely perceptible from Bremen’s city center,” she says, highlighting the extent of light pollution.
No chance of an unobstructed view of the night sky. Light pollution is particularly high in the urban area of Bremen, as the red, pink and purple colored areas show. (Source: Screenshot/lightpollutionmap.info)
But a trip to the surrounding area of Bremen is worthwhile. You don’t have to go far to have an unobstructed view of the starry sky. “If you drive south, towards Syke, there is a wonderful opportunity to view a wonderfully dark night sky on the Hohen Berg, for example,” Glimbotzki told t-online in response to a query. Astronomical events or telescope meetings are also held there from time to time.
Another tip is to visit the region around Verden. There are also dark corners there that offer a great view of the night sky. North of Bremen – the expert recommends Teufelsmoor and Worpswede in particular – but also the small towns towards Bremerhaven are particularly good for observation. The region around the Lüneburg Heath in particular is still spared from light pollution and is therefore ideal for looking at the constellations.
Bremen area: Real “aha moments” await here
Even a trip to Lilienthal, to Blockland and to the municipality of Ganderkesee would provide “real eye-openers”. There, the Milky Way and the neighboring Andromeda Galaxy can be admired with the naked eye, says Glimbotzki.
Light pollution is particularly low in the south of Bremen, as shown by the blue and green colored areas. The starry sky is much easier to see here than in the city. (Source: Screenshot/lightpollutionmap.info)
If you don’t want to leave the city, you can still marvel at celestial bodies in Bremen – in all their detail. The Olbers Planetarium in Neustadt (Werderstraße 73) offers regular tours. “Objects such as the moon, planets, gas nebulae and double stars as well as brighter stars can also be observed wonderfully from Bremen,” says Glimbotzki. The powerful telescopes make this possible. The observatory in Lilienthal also has a telescope and science center.
But what do interested people actually see in the sky? In spring, especially in the south, you can see the so-called spring constellations such as Leo, Virgo and Bootes, also known as the Bear Keeper. In winter, particularly bright constellations can be seen: these include Orion, Auriga, Taurus, Gemini and the brightest fixed star in the northern sky, Sirius.
Constellation Cassiopeia: Such high-resolution images can only be achieved with special telescopes, but special views can also be captured with simple means. (Source: IMAGO/imageBROKER/christian zappel/imago-images-bilder)
In summer, however, the summer constellations Cygnus, Lyra and Aquila dominate the sky, while in autumn the autumn square Pegasus is clearly visible. The starry sky changes throughout the year. Every month the constellations move two hours further west, explains Glimbotzki.
In order to get interesting impressions of the starry sky, you don’t necessarily need a professional telescope, says the expert. “The naked eye and binoculars are often enough.” Even small amateur telescopes are easy for laypeople to use. “Today, you have an electric tracking device on a tripod that compensates for the rotation of the sky. You can also track the telescope by hand,” explains Glimbotzki. A flashlight with a non-blinding red light and an astronomy program, such as an app or a rotating star map, would make finding celestial objects much easier.
