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Origin and history

The Juvisy-sur-Orge Observatory, also known as the Camille-Flammarion Observatory, was founded in 1883 by French astronomer Camille Flammarion. He moved to a former post office in the 18th century, At the Court of France, offered by Louis-Eugène Meret, a Bordeaux merchant. Flammarion transforms the site into a scientific centre, adding a dome for astronomical observations, a library, and a meteorological laboratory. The motto Ad veritatem per scientam (Towards Truth through Science) adorns the entry portal.

Between 1883 and the Second World War, the observatory became a major pole of astronomical research. Flammarion welcomes personalities like Gustave Eiffel and Camille Saint-Saëns. In 1910 he built a sundial above the entrance, still visible today. Upon his death in 1925, the observatory continued its activities under the direction of his widow, Gabrielle Renaudot Flammarion, and later of the Société astronomicale de France, co-founded by Flammarion in 1887.

Ranked Historic Monument in 2009, the observatory is now being restored. The astronomical bezel of 1884, restored in 2006-2007 with public and private subsidies, is a valuable testimony to its scientific heritage. The park houses the tomb of Flammarion and his wives, as well as centuries-old trees planted by the scientist. Despite its current state, projects are aimed at restoring the cultural and scientific role of this place.

The observatory's contribution to astronomy was notable: in 1906 astronomer Max Wolf named a minor planet (605) Juvisia in his honour. The research carried out here, published in the journal "Astronomy", has marked the history of science. Today, the Société astronomicale de France, the city of Juvisy-sur-Orge and associations work for its preservation, combining heritage memory and contemporary issues.

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