 Facade of the main building | |
| Observatory code | 004 |
|---|---|
| Location | Toulouse,France |
| Coordinates | 43°36′44″N1°27′46″E / 43.61233°N 1.46278°E /43.61233; 1.46278 |
| Established | 1733, 1841, 1981 |
  Location of Toulouse Observatory | |
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 Related media on Commons | |
TheToulouse Observatory (French:Observatoire de Toulouse) is located inToulouse,France and was established in 1733.[1]
It was founded byl'Académie des Sciences, Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres de Toulouse ("Academy of Science, Inscriptions and the Humanities of Toulouse"). It was moved 1841 and again in 1981.[citation needed]
In 1987, Genevieve Soucail of the Toulouse Observatory and her collaborators presented data of a blue ring-like structure inAbell 370 and proposed a gravitational lensing interpretation[2]
In the 1990s the observatory worked onMEGACAM with several other institutions.[3]
The observatory was started byGaripuy in the 1730s with support from the Academy of Sciences.[4]
Félix Tisserand was a famous director from 1873 to 1878. He publishedRecueil d'exercices sur le calcul infinitesimal as well as making several expeditions, including an 1874 trip to Japan.Henri Joseph Anastase Perrotin was Tisserand's assistant astronomer, and they both went to theParis Observatory in 1878. Tisserand was succeeded byBenjamin Baillaud.
| Director | Life span | Years of directorship |
|---|---|---|
| Frédéric Petit | 1810–1865 | 1838–1865 |
| Théodore Despeyrous | 1815–1883 | 1865–1866 |
| Pierre Daguin | 1814–1884 | 1866–1870 |
| Félix Tisserand | 1845–1896 | 1873–1878 |
| Benjamin Baillaud | 1848–1934 | 1878–1907 |
| Eugène Cosserat | 1866–1931 | 1908–1931 |
| Emile Paloque | 1891–1982 | 1931–1960 |
| Roger Bouigues | 1920– | 1961–1971 |
| Jean Rösch | 1915–1999 | 1971–1981 |
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The observatory was originally founded in 1733.[5] Launch instruments at the observatory included two refractors and 28 inchquadrant, and one clock.[6][4] By 1840 and additional clock byJulien le Roi of Paris was added.[6]
Among the early observations at the observatory were the 1736 and 1743transits of Mercury.[4] These observations were conducted by Garipuy, who also observed the transit of Mercury in 1753.[4] Garipuy also built and observatory in his house and conducted observations from there.[4]
By 1770 a new larger observatory was established and again in the 1840s.[7]
In 1871-1873 Toulouse observatory switched from being a municipal to provincial observatory.[8]
In 1873 a 4.5 inch (10.8 cm) refractor by Secretan was added to the Observatory.[9]
In 1875 a reflecting telescope by Henry Brothers was added.[10][11] The 83 centimetres (33 in) diameteraperture was a reflecting telescope (i.e. mirror) mounted on anequatorial.[10] In 1880 the reflector was re mounted on acast iron design by Gautier, replacing the wood mounting.[8]
Also in 1880 a new refractor (lens) was acquired, a 9 inch (22 cm) aperture by Brunner.[8] Several other instruments were added at this time, and in the early 1900s a new telescope for the Pic Du Midi mountaintop observatory was also added.[8]
In the 1880s Toulouse Observatory sent some of its oldest instruments to a museum.[12] This included a transit instrument by Lennel dating to 1774,Dollond telescope, and severalquadrants.[12]
The observatory participated in theCarte Du Ciel project, recording over a thousand plates (i.e. astronomical photographs) between 1887 and 1939.[8]
In the 1980s astronomers of Toulouse Observatory discovered agravitational lens in space.[13] They found an arc aroundAbel 370 and were able to recognized it as this phenomenon.[13]
The observatory has used many telescopes over its lifetime.[10] For example, an 83 cm aperturereflecting telescope was installed in 1875.[11]
