I am amateurastronomer and member of the local astronomy-assocoation Kepler Sternwarte Linz  (former Astronomical Society of Linz  - LAG) since 1979. During many years I hold there various functions concerning public astronomical work. Some examples:  Under my financial leadership a public observatory has been built in Linz/Austria, a planetary educational trail was established, further on a external observing site out of the city in dark skies has been erected, a big aequatorial sundial was realized and I did some public astronomical lectures and publications, and for some years I have been chairman of the society ..... but this is history for me. Already long ago I consigned my functions to younger and very dedicated people. For example Herbert Raab ( the author of the well known software "Astrometrica") who was for long time chairman and dedicated astrophotographers and amateurastronomers like "stargazer" (Dietmar Hager) or Erich Meyer/Erwin Obermeir/David Voglsam (IAU Observatory Code: 540 Linz) did their great contributions to astronomy worldwide. Of course I am still supporting our great association, but more in the background beeing a member of the advisory board.

Some private additionally informations about me: My profession is IT-Systemmanager in the field of network engineering, but today I don't carry on this profession. Beside networking  computers I acquired some additional social skills useful for social networking. I am trainer for group-facilitation and further I have a qualified schooling in adult-education. Very helpful skills to share astronomical knowledge and causal relations to a broad class of population.

Based on this I am charter member of A4E - Astronomy for Education, an Austrian platform connecting astronomy to schools, teachers and institutions of further education, involving local astronomical organisations and societies.

Today for me the universal appeal of astronomy is still fascinating. It's astonishing to see how astronomy has changed, to see the big technological progress and to deal with the new challenge and to be a part of a big community around the world, a world of information nearly without borders. Not only for our big community, but for all human beings our nightsky is worth to be protected and to be saved for our next generations. Our One Dark Sky ist the biggest World Heritage Site we have - let's protect it together and let's struggle against light pollution ! One of my contributions to reach this goal are my efforts to spread information to as many people as possible. This little webpage, free hosted on a public-server of Linz, is also a little step in doing this. Sharing my/our "Astronomical Excitement" with family, children and friends will be the best contribution to reach this goal. Further I am fully sharing the mission and goal of Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) and their dedication to foster understanding and goodwill across national and cultural boundaries by creating relationships through the universal appeal of astronomy. Further to this aspect I hold the role  "Ambassador & National Coordinator" for this worldwide organization. To make this mission alive, I am planning some tours. I want to connect people and I want to cross borders, travelling with my astro-equipped car to foreign countries and cultures, for example to Arabic countries (one of the cradles of astronomy), trying to get connected by sharing the fascination of our ONE SAME SKY !

* HAVE A LOOK TO MY FIRST TRAVEL REPORT OF THIS TYPE  (Turkey, Syria, Jordan)
* 10 YEARS OF GAM - Global Astronomy Month ( Trip to Iran 2019)

Another passion ist to beat the drums for TWAN - "The World At Night". Holding the role of the TWAN-Austria event coordinator I try to spread the word to as much people as possible

HAVE A LOOK

Finally I have been admitted as an associate member of the International Astronomical Union - IAU Division C, Commision 55, assigned to the workingroups "New Media"  and "New Ways of CAP" (communicating atronomy with the public, 2014-2015). Later  I have beeen an "Active Associate" of Commission C2 in the workingroups "Outreach Professionalization & Accreditation" and "Public Outreach Information Management" from 2016 - 2018.

http://iau.org/administration/membership/associate/15957/

Further on I held the role: IAU- National Outreach Coordinator AUSTRIA until Aug 27, 2021

National Organizers:  http://www.sidewalkastronomers.us/id216.html
Projects:  http://www.sidewalkastronomers.us/id222.html

  THE SPACETELESCOPE FOR EVERYBODY

KEPLARIUM - a local City-Project dedicated to the great astronomer Johannes Kepler who lived in Linz anno 1612 - 1626

HERE THE LINK TO THE  WORLD UNIQUE  SWEETS

Presse Konferenz v. 27.5.2016
       Media Conference 27.5.2016
2.Presse Konferenz v. 17.11.2016
2nd Media Conference 17.11.2016

A small rolling astronomical observatory, built to present roadshows, to show the starry nightsky "on the fly" during travelling, connecting people following the mottto "One People, One Sky", doing video assisted starpartys and ,of course, to visit dark places. My project is connected to the US-SidewalkAstronomers and extending the idea of "Sidwalk-Astronomy" to a kind of "Sidewalk-AstronomyV2.0".
More you can read HERE

free hosted by

Ein Projekt im Rahmen des Wissensraums Linz (VHS u. Stadtbibliothek)

Astrotechnical support of author  by Wolfgang Ransburg:

CELESTRON - Generaldistributor for Austria
Teleskop-Service –  online Shop
for Astronomy, Photography und Nature Watching