---
title: "Observatory"
chunk: 2/3
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observatory"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:50:38.955199+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

825: Al-Shammisiyyah Observatory, Baghdad, Iraq
869: Mahodayapuram Observatory, Kerala, India
1259: Maragheh Observatory, Azerbaijan, Iran
1276: Gaocheng Astronomical Observatory, China
1420: Ulugh Beg Observatory, Samarqand, Uzbekistan
1442: Beijing Ancient Observatory, China
1577: Constantinople Observatory of Taqi ad-Din, Turkey
1580: Uraniborg, Denmark (present-day Sweden)
1581: Stjärneborg, Denmark (present-day Sweden)
1633: Leiden Observatory, Netherlands
1642: Panzano Observatory, Italy
1642: Round Tower, Denmark
1667: Paris Observatory, France
1675: Royal Greenwich Observatory, England
1695: Sukharev Tower, Russia
1711: Berlin Observatory, Germany
1724: Jantar Mantar, India
1753: Stockholm Observatory, Sweden
1753: Vilnius University Observatory, Lithuania
1753: Real Instituto y Observatorio de la Armada, Spain
1759: Trieste Observatory, Italy.
1757: Macfarlane Observatory, Scotland.
1759: Turin Observatory, Italy.
1764: Brera Astronomical Observatory, Italy.
1765: Mohr Observatory, Indonesia.
1771: Lviv Observatory, Ukraine.
1774: Observatory of the Vatican, Italy.
1785: Dunsink Observatory, Ireland.
1786: Madras Observatory, India.
1789: Armagh Observatory, Northern Ireland.
1790: Royal Observatory of Madrid, Spain,
1803: National Astronomical Observatory, Bogotá, Colombia.
1811: Tartu Old Observatory, Estonia
1812: Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte, Naples, Italy
1830/1842: Depot of Charts & Instruments/US Naval Observatory, US
1830: Yale University Observatory Atheneum, US
1834: Helsinki University Observatory, Finland
1838: Hopkins Observatory, Williams College, US
1838: Loomis Observatory, Western Reserve Academy, US
1839: Pulkovo Observatory, Russia
1842: Cincinnati Observatory, US
1844: Georgetown University Astronomical Observatory, US
1847: Harvard College Observatory, US
1854: Detroit Observatory, US
1871: Argentine National Observatory, Argentina
1873: Quito Astronomical Observatory, Ecuador
1878: Lisbon Astronomical Observatory, Portugal
1884: McCormick Observatory, US
1888: Lick Observatory, US
1890: Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, US
1894: Lowell Observatory, US
1895: Theodor Jacobsen Observatory, US
1897: Yerkes Observatory, US
1899: Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, India

=== Space-based observatories ===

Space-based observatories are telescopes or other instruments that are located in outer space, many in orbit around the Earth. Space telescopes can be used to observe astronomical objects at wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum that cannot penetrate the Earth's atmosphere and are thus impossible to observe using ground-based telescopes. The Earth's atmosphere is opaque to ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays and is partially opaque to infrared radiation so observations in these portions of the electromagnetic spectrum are best carried out from a location above Earth's atmosphere. Another advantage of space-based telescopes is that, because of their location above the Earth's atmosphere, their images are free from the effects of atmospheric turbulence that plague ground-based observations. As a result, the angular resolution of space telescopes such as the Hubble Space Telescope is often much smaller than a ground-based telescope with a similar aperture. However, all these advantages do come with a price. Space telescopes are much more expensive to build than ground-based telescopes. Due to their location, space telescopes are also extremely difficult to maintain. The Hubble Space Telescope was able to be serviced by the Space Shuttles while many other space telescopes cannot be serviced.

=== Airborne observatories ===

Airborne observatories have the advantage of height over ground installations, putting them above most of the Earth's atmosphere. They also have an advantage over space telescopes: The instruments can be deployed, repaired and updated much more quickly and inexpensively. The Kuiper Airborne Observatory and the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy use airplanes to observe in the infrared, which is absorbed by water vapor in the atmosphere. High-altitude balloons for X-ray astronomy have been used in a variety of countries.

=== Neutrino observatories ===

Example underground, underwater or under ice neutrino observatories include:

1998–2003 Gallium Neutrino Observatory
1999–2006 Sudbury Neutrino Observatory
2003 Baikal Deep Underwater Neutrino Telescope
2010 IceCube Neutrino Observatory
2012 Helium and Lead Observatory (HALO)

== Meteorological observatories ==

Example meteorological observatories include:
1762 Kremsmünster Observatory, Austria
1781 Hohenpeißenberg Meteorological Observatory, Germany
1841 Colaba Observatory, India
1868 Kandilli Observatory, Türkiye
1869 New York Meteorological Observatory in Central Park, New York
1871 Argentine National Observatory, Argentina
1883 Hong Kong Observatory, Hong Kong
1885 Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory, Massachusetts
1932 Mount Washington Observatory, New Hampshire
1956 Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii

=== See also ===
World Meteorological Organization

== Marine observatories ==
A marine observatory is a scientific institution whose main task is to make observations in the fields of meteorology, geomagnetism and tides that are important for the navy and civil shipping. An astronomical observatory is usually also attached. Some of these observatories also deal with nautical weather forecasts and storm warnings, astronomical time services, nautical calendars and seismology.
Example marine observatories include:

1676 Royal Greenwich Observatory at London
1753 Real Instituto y Observatorio de la Armada in San Fernando, Spain
1830 United States Naval Observatory
1868 German Maritime Observatory in Hamburg
1871–1918 Austro-Hungarian Pola Naval Observatory, in what is now Pula, Croatia
1882 Observatoire Oceanologique de Villefranche, France
1908 St. Andrews Biological Station, Canada
2006 European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water column Observatory (EMSO)

=== See also ===
Fixed-point ocean observatory
Integrated Ocean Observing System

== Magnetic observatories ==
A magnetic observatory is a facility which precisely measures the total intensity of Earth's magnetic field for field strength and direction at standard intervals. Geomagnetic observatories are most useful when located away from human activities to avoid disturbances of anthropogenic origin, and the observation data is collected at a fixed location continuously for decades. Magnetic observations are aggregated, processed, quality checked and made public through data centers such as INTERMAGNET.
The types of measuring equipment at an observatory may include magnetometers (torsion, declination-inclination fluxgate, proton precession, Overhauser-effect), variometer (3-component vector, total-field scalar), dip circle, inclinometer, earth inductor, theodolite, self-recording magnetograph, magnetic declinometer, azimuth compass. Once a week at the absolute reference point calibration measurements are performed.
Example magnetic observatories include:

1833 Göttingen Observatory, Germany
1840 Toronto Magnetic and Meteorological Observatory, Canada
1842 Kew Observatory, UK
1904 Eskdalemuir Observatory, UK
1961 Boulder Geomagnetic Observatory, Colorado

== Seismic observatories ==

Example seismic observation projects and observatories include:

International Seismological Summary
Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory
EarthScope
GEOSCOPE Observatory
World-Wide Standardized Seismograph Network

== Geodetic observatories ==

== Cosmic-ray observatories ==

== Gravitational wave observatories ==
Example gravitational wave observatories include:

LIGO
European Gravitational Observatory

== Wildlife observatories ==

== Volcano observatories ==