Cambridge Observatory

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This doric portico is the main entrance to the Cambridge Observatory building
This dome contains a 36-inch-diameter (910 mm) reflector telescope

Cambridge Observatory is an astronomical observatory at the University of Cambridge in the East of England. It was first established in 1823[1] and is now part of the site of the Institute of Astronomy. The old Observatory building houses the Institute of Astronomy Library which has a collection of modern and historical astronomical books.[2]

There are a set of optical telescopes at the site on the Madingley Road in the west of Cambridge. By modern standards these are small, as well as being affected by light pollution. However, the 36-inch telescope continues to be used for studies of stellar radial velocities and the historic Northumberland and Thorrowgood telescopes are used as part of the public outreach activities of the Institute. Much more significant is the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory, built in 1957 a few kilometres southwest.

From 1990 to 1998, the Royal Greenwich Observatory was based in Cambridge in Greenwich House, just to the north of the Observatory.

References

  1. ↑ Stratton, F.J.M. "The History of the Cambridge Observatories" Annals of the Solar Physics Observatory, Cambridge Vol. I (1949)
  2. ↑ Hurn, M. "An English astronomical library: the case of the Cambridge Observatory" The Observatory, Vol. 124, No. 1178, pp. 37-46 (2004)

External links

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Coordinates: 52°12′49″N 0°05′40″E / 52.2135°N 0.0944°E / 52.2135; 0.0944

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