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| Alternative names | Juvisy Observatory | ||
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| Named after | Camille Flammarion | ||
| Organization | Société astronomique de France | ||
| Observatory code | 285 | ||
| Location | 32, avenue de la Cour-de-France,Juvisy-sur-Orge, nearParis,France | ||
| Coordinates | 48°41′23″N2°23′55″E / 48.6898°N 2.3986°E /48.6898; 2.3986 | ||
| Altitude | 100 m | ||
| Established | 1883 | ||
| Telescopes | |||
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  Location of Camille Flammarion Observatory | |||
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 Related media on Commons | |||
Theobservatory was established inJuvisy-sur-Orge in 1883 by the French astronomer and authorCamille Flammarion. In March 2010, the structure was classified as a historical monument by theFrench Ministry of Culture. The observatory belongs to theSociété astronomique de France.
The observatory is located onRoute nationale 7 (formerly the avenue de la Cour de France), close to the downtown of Juvisy. The site, which is on a prominent hilltop location, is a large parcel of land that contains several buildings, a monumental gate, gardens, and a small forest.
The building housing the observatory was originally apost house constructed in 1730. In 1883–1884, Flammarion transformed the structure into an astronomical observatory by adding a largeequatorial room for the telescope, a library, a scientific museum, a meteorological station and an agricultural research station.[1]
In 1899, the architect François Giamarchi was commissioned to transform the east façade of the building (garden side) by adding a decorative relief of ionic columns supporting a cornice.[2]
In 1910, Flammarion installed a verticalsundial on the upper level of the observatory. The sundial was restored in 1998 and 1972.[3]
In March 2010, theFrench Ministry of Culture classified the building and the large gate as protected historical monuments.[4]
Flammarion's second wife,Gabrielle Renaudot Flammarion, bequeathed the entire site to theSociété Astronomique de France upon her death in 1962. In 1971, the society signed a 99-year lease with the municipality of Juvisy to ensure the site's maintenance, preservation and accessibility. Today, the society organises regular observations at the observatory for the general public.[5]
The 5 meter dome was constructed by the engineer Adolphe Gilon. It houses Camille Flammarion'sequatorial mountrefracting telescope, which has a diameter of 240 mm and afocal length of 3600 mm. The telescope was built byDenis Albert Bardou, a Parisian optics manufacturer. Flammarion's choice of the telescope was inspired by a similar instrument in the west tower of theParis Observatory.[6]
Astronomers who conducted research at the observatory included:
The results of their research at the observatory were published in numerous articles and photographs inL'Astronomie, the journal of theSociété astronomique de France.
In 1906, German astronomerMax Wolf discovered aminor planet orbiting the Sun and named it605 Juvisia in honor of the location of Flammarion's observatory.
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