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Lower Saxony

Southern Meridian Marker of the Göttingen Observatory

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Germany

Lower Saxony

Southern Meridian Marker of the Göttingen Observatory

Recommended by 79 hikers out of 82

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Location: Lower Saxony, Germany

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Best Hikes to Southern Meridian Marker of the Göttingen Observatory

4.9

(7)

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1. Bocksbühl Viewpoint – View from Bocksbühl loop from Groß Schneen

13.6km

04:01

420m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

5.0

(2)

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2. View from Bocksbühl – Bocksbühl Viewpoint loop from Groß Schneen

9.70km

02:48

250m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

5.0

(2)

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3. Pilgrimage Church Friedland loop from Friedland

7.37km

02:07

180m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

Tips

Martl

March 5, 2021

The classicist university observatory in Göttingen was built from 1803 to 1816. At that time, one of the main interests of astronomy was the study of celestial mechanics. This requires reproducible angle measurements of reference stars as a reference point at their upper culmination point. This happened with wall quadrants or a meridian circle. The devices were located in the observatory in the meridian halls with narrow, high windows that made it possible to take angular bearings. In order to measure and understand the earth movements precession, revolution, rotation and nutation, years of exact measurements are necessary. To do this, the protractor must always be adjusted in a precise southward direction. This is what this symbol or Mire stands for.

For adjustments in the north direction, the northern meridian sign was used approximately 5 km away from the observatory - also a comooth highlight!

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codo786

July 2, 2017

The southern meridian sign in the forest near Groß Schneen is to be seen in connection with the historical observatory in Göttingen. Carl-Friedrich-Gauss needed two alignment targets to adjust his instruments, the north and south meridian symbols, each 12 km away. To my knowledge, the northern meridian sign is not preserved, but the southern meridian sign is easily accessible and well signposted here. On the way from the parking lot at the sports ground Gross Schneen to the meridian sign, a Gauss educational trail was also created, on which boards provide information about the findings and instruments of the great mathematician.

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Nicolette

April 21, 2022

About 3 meters high and 2 meters wide building. For Gauss this had two distinct functions.

It is exactly 11.93 km away from the Göttingen observatory, the base of which defined the coordinate zero point of the Gaussian triangular measurements or national survey in the Kingdom of Hanover.

In order to create the necessary line of sight through the forest on the mountain slope to the Göttingen observatory, 12 trees had to be felled on the Steinkopf, with the cost of around 100 thalers being borne by the university.

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Informations

Elevation 380 m

Weather

Tuesday 16 September

18°C

10°C

40 %

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Max wind speed: 23.0 km/h

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Location: Lower Saxony, Germany

Southern Meridian Marker of the Göttingen Observatory

1. Bocksbühl Viewpoint – View from Bocksbühl loop from Groß Schneen

2. View from Bocksbühl – Bocksbühl Viewpoint loop from Groß Schneen

3. Pilgrimage Church Friedland loop from Friedland

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