A deserted tower at the Uithof Campus of Utrecht University used to be an astronomical observatory, purpose-built for Marcel Minnaert’s famous undergraduate course in practical astronomy. The tower, which was opened in 1964, has hardly been used, however. This was in part because of unforeseen campus development, but also because of shifting teaching priorities. This paper reconstructs the history of Minnaert’s ‘Sterrentoren’, which illustrates how failed observatories can shed as much light on the history of astronomy as successful ones.

Verzameling muziekinstrumenten aangeboden bij zijn afscheid door prof. Minnaert aan het Instituut voor Muziekwetenschap

Professor M.G J. Minnaert director of the observatory at Sonnenborgh, Utrecht, from 1937 to 1963, died on October 26, 1970, at the age of seventyseven.