~/en/case-studies/lange-nacht-der-astronomie

Lange Nacht der Astronomie: site for a nationwide event

AI-generated, human-reviewed

Client
Stiftung Planetarium Berlin
Industry
Science & Research
Tech stack
Drupal · PHP · Livestreaming

Starting point

The Lange Nacht der Astronomie is not one event in one place but many at once: observatories, planetariums and astronomical institutes across Germany open on the same night. It is run by Stiftung Planetarium Berlin together with the Astronomische Gesellschaft, the Gesellschaft Deutschsprachiger Planetarien and the Vereinigung der Sternfreunde, funded by the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space.

For visitors that means they are not looking for the programme but for the programme near them. For the organisers it means many independent institutions contribute their own events, without an editorial team assembling everything by hand.

Solution

A Drupal site with its own theme that serves both sides. Participating institutions are held as entries of their own, with their events and times, and are findable through a directory; the programme calendar pulls them together into one searchable night. Past editions stay available as an archive rather than starting from scratch every year.

A livestream module completes it: talks and the observation itself are broadcast free of charge — for everyone without an observatory nearby, or for whom the clouds win.

Outcome

One shared presence for an event that only exists distributed. Those who want to take part find their venue; those who cannot get there watch.

See it live →