The Paris Observatory

Abstract

The Paris Observatory is the oldest astronomical observatory that has operated continuously from its creation in 1667 to today. It was closely followed in 1675 by the Greenwich Observatory, which was closed in 1998 and turned into a museum. In 1926, Paris Observatory absorbed the Observatory of Physical Astronomy of Meudon, and created in 1953 a radio astronomy station in Nançay, so that it now operates on three different sites. We retrace its 350-years history here.