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All French heritage classified by regions, departments and cities

  2. Divers
  3. Nouvelle-Aquitaine
  4. Gironde
  5. 33270 Floirac

  6. Aquitaine Observatory of Universe Sciences

Aquitaine Observatory of Universe Sciences à Floirac en Gironde

Gironde

Aquitaine Observatory of Universe Sciences

    2 Rue de l'Observatoire
    33270 Floirac
Observatoire aquitain des sciences de lunivers
Observatoire aquitain des sciences de lunivers
Observatoire aquitain des sciences de lunivers
Observatoire aquitain des sciences de lunivers
Observatoire aquitain des sciences de lunivers
Observatoire aquitain des sciences de lunivers
Observatoire aquitain des sciences de lunivers
Observatoire aquitain des sciences de lunivers
Observatoire aquitain des sciences de lunivers
Observatoire aquitain des sciences de lunivers
Crédit photo : Auteur inconnu - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1900
2000
1878
Foundation of the Observatory
1880
Opening of the first building
1954
Installation of the T60 telescope
1965
Construction of radiotelescope
2010
Historical monument classification
2016
Departure from Astrophysics Laboratory
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

The following buildings as well as the instruments they contain of the astronomical observatory: Georges Rayet building, Bouguer building, photographic equatorial, large equatorial, small equatorial, director's house, metallurgical pavilion, radioscope (or radiotelescope) Würzburg, equatorial table (Box AP 80: Würzburg telescope, small equatorial and metallurgical pavilion, 76: director's house, 92: Rayet building, 339: Bouguer building, 341: large equatorial, 342: photographic equatorial, 343: equatorial table): inscription by decree of 2 April 2010

Key figures

Georges Rayet - Founder and first director Astronome, led the observatory from 1878 to 1906.
Luc Picart - Director of the Observatory Head of the institution from 1906 to 1937.
Gilbert Rougier - Director of the Observatory Head of the institution from 1937 to 1947.
Sigmund Merz - Manufacturer of optical instruments Provides the objective of the equatorial bezel in 1880.

Origin and history

The Bordeaux Astronomical Observatory, which is now part of the Aquitaine Observatory of Universe Sciences (OASU), was established in 1878 as part of a national effort to strengthen scientific research after the French defeat of 1870. He was entrusted to Georges Rayet, astronomer and physicist, and settled in Floirac on an old wine estate, reusing the master house to house the director. The first buildings, designed to house instruments such as a meridian bezel and equatorial glasses, were inaugurated between 1880 and 1891. A non-ferrous metallurgical pavilion for magnetic measurements was also built in 1880.

In the 20th century, the observatory expanded with the addition of a T60 telescope in 1954 and a radio telescope in 1965, while administrative buildings and houses for astronomers were erected between 1937 and 1986. Specializing in the study of radio waves and the Earth's atmosphere, it houses a rare library including works by Copernicus, Galileo and Newton. The site, which housed the Laboratory of Astrophysics of Bordeaux (LAB) until 2016, has been protected as historical monuments since 2010 for its original buildings and instruments.

The observatory illustrates the evolution of astronomical sciences in France, from its foundation under the Third Republic to its contemporary research. Its architectural and instrumental heritage, including 19th and 20th century equipment, reflects technological advances and international collaborations, such as ordering an equatorial bezel from the German manufacturer Sigmund Merz in 1878. Today, although the LAB has left the premises for the university estate of Pessac, the site remains a symbol of the Aquitaine scientific heritage.

External links

Page Wikipedia
Page Monumentum