Sonnenborgh Observatory

The Sonnenborgh Observatory in Utrecht was one of the most fascinating experiences so far on this trip.  The evening began a little dreary as the rain came down before we entered the building.  However, by the time we had to go outside the rain stopped.  The observatory visit began with a lecture about Galileo's telescopes which was fascinating and we also learned about a new discovery of the oldest telescope in the Netherlands dating to the early 16th Century.  The telescope was discovered by Timon who helped out at the observatory and who was our tour guide at Museum Boerhaave the following day.  Timon created three near-perfect replicas of Galileo's telescopes and he allowed us to go on the roof and use them to see how difficult they were to use.  Unfortunately, the sky was overcast and we were unable to see the moon or the stars, however everyone had a fun time and it was a good way to end a day in Utrecht.  We finished our visit by touring the rest of the observatory and we were able to look through a 19th century telescope and touring a 17th century fortress that was used to protect Utrecht, a surprising historical addition to an already fascinating building.  The site impressed me and was one of the most interesting sites during the first half of this trip.