 The Coudé refractor became operational in 1966, and from that time the solar telescope on the Schauinsland continued to be used only for testing equipment.For several years, the Capri observatory with its domeless telescope provided observation time to the institute.In the early 1970s, the Institute searched for a suitable place to establish a European solar observatory, and Karl-Otto Kiepenheuer took an active part in this search.