German Professor Who Loves Star Wars Transformed This Observatory Into R2-D2

You don’t need to be a Star Wars fan to be in awe of this observatory. The themed facility was transformed by Hubert Zitt, a professor at the Zweibrücken University of Applied Sciences in Germany. In addition to being famous for his Star Trek and Star Wars lectures, Zitt has caught the public eye for the observatory he repainted to look like R2-D2 from the Star Wars universe.

In 2018, Zitt completed his mission to make the Zweibrück Observatory of the Natural Science Association “out of this world.” He was aided by his father-in-law Horst Helle, the master painter Klaus Ruffing, and a few students from the university.

In a short period of time, the observatory gained global attention, likely due to Star Wars fans. One notable fan of the design is Mark Hammill. He shared his appreciation in a Tweet, writing: “R2-D2 Observatory Transformed Germans Into Giant Nerds.”

R2-D2 Observatory Transformed Germans Into Giant Nerds https://t.co/s4vUwKGxEP via @LaughingSquid

— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) March 22, 2019

Following are 10+ photographs of the unique observatory:

As Bored Panda reports, Zitt and his team aren’t the first ones to complete a Star Wars design challenge. In 2010, the Goodsell Observatory at Carleton College in Minnesota was turned into an R2-D2. The achievement is still applaud-worthy, nonetheless.

Dr. Hubert Zitt is quite a distinguished individual. After studying electrotechnology, he received his doctorate from Saarland University in the field of system theory of electrotechnology. He is now a tenured professor in the field at the University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken. When he is not lecturing about electrotechnology, the inquisitive educator likes to spread information about his favorite sci-fi pop culture.

In fact, Dr. Zitt gained worldwide acclaim as a Global Top Speaker for his lectures on Star Trek. In 2005, he began taking his lectures on the road to other cities and universities. He has since spoken at conventions such as FedCon, Europe’s biggest Science Fiction Convention.

The professor’s tours have been so popular, he wrote the preface of the book ‘Star Trek in Germany’ in collaboration with the son of Star Trek inventor, Gene Roddenberry. Later that year, Dr. Zitt became a regular lecturer at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. His class? ‘The Physics of Star Trek.’

All images via Zweibrücken University of Applied Sciences / Hochschule Kaiserslautern