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| Observatory code | 012  |
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| Location | Uccle,Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital,Brussels, Belgium |
| Coordinates | 50°47′53″N4°21′31″E / 50.798179°N 4.358628°E /50.798179; 4.358628 |
| Established | 1826 (1826) (Saint-Josse-ten-Noode) 1890 (1890)Uccle |
| Website | www www |
| Telescopes |
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  Location of Royal Observatory of Belgium | |
 Related media on Commons | |
| see§ List of discovered minor planets |
TheRoyal Observatory of Belgium (Dutch:Koninklijke Sterrenwacht van België;French:Observatoire Royal de Belgique;German:Königliche Sternwarte von Belgien) has been situated in theUccle municipality ofBrussels since 1890. It is part of the institutions of theBelgian Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO).
The Royal Observatory was first established inSaint-Josse-ten-Noode in 1826 by KingWilliam I of the Netherlands under the impulse of the astronomer and mathematicianAdolphe Quetelet. It was home to a 100 cm (39 in) diameter apertureZeiss reflector in the first half of the 20th century, one of the largest telescopes in the world at the time. It now owns a variety of other astronomical instruments, such asastrographs, as well as a range ofseismograph equipment (for detectingearthquakes). Its main activities are reference systems andgeodynamics,astrometry and dynamics of celestial bodies,astrophysics, andSolar physics.
The asteroid1276 Ucclia is named in honour of the city and the observatory and16908 Groeselenberg is named for the hill the observatory is located on.
Adolphe Quetelet first petitioned the government of theUnited Kingdom of the Netherlands to establish an astronomical observatory in Brussels in 1823. KingWilliam I granted his request in 1826 and construction started in 1827 inSaint-Josse-ten-Noode. Meteorological observations started early, but delivery and installation of astronomical equipment proceeded slowly. Quetelet was appointed astronomer in 1828.
During theBelgian Revolution, fighting took place in and around the observatory. Quetelet kept his position under the new government and started scientific observations. By 1834, buildings and instruments were finally completed. Adolpe Quetelet was succeeded by his son Ernest upon his death in 1874.
In 1876,Jean-Charles Houzeau became the new director. He called onFrançois van Rysselberghe to attach him to the weather forecast service the same year. On 26 September 1876, the Observatory published the first Meteorological Bulletin in its history.[2] Immediately after he became director, Houzeau started planning a move toUccle. He managed to obtain better funding, enlarged the scientific staff and completely renewed the instruments. The first Belgian astronomical expedition was sent toSantiago andSan Antonio to observe thetransit of Venus in 1882. He tried to separate the meteorological and astronomical departments, but this was refused by the government. In 1883 construction of a new observatory in Uccle started, but Houzeau's resignation in 1883 delayed the move which was only completed in 1890–1891.
Georges Lecointe was appointed as director in 1900, succeedingF. Folie and A. Lancaster. Under his leadership, seismological measurements started in 1901 and the first weather balloons were launched in 1906. Belgium participated in theCarte du Ciel and the Astrographic Catalogue; observations lasted until 1964. In 1913 the meteorological department finally became an independent entity, theRoyal Meteorological Institute. AfterWorld War I theCentral Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams was located in Uccle from 1920 to 1922 while it was headed by Lecointe.
Illness forced Lecointe to resign in 1925 and he was succeeded by Paul Stroobant.[3]Since 1981, theSunspot Index Data center, the World data center for theSunspot Index is harbored at the observatory.[4]
TheBrussels Planetarium is located on theHeysel/Heizel Plateau inLaeken (northern part of theCity of Brussels).
KingBaudouin was an amateurastronomer and took a keen interest in the Royal Observatory. After his death, a statue in his honour was raised outside the entrance.
Examples only
In 1914:[5]
As of 1981:[6]
The Observatory also had a 100 cm aperture Zeiss reflector.[7]
| important; height: 175px; | ||
|---|---|---|
| (120140) 2003 GB21 | 3 April 2003 | list |
| (172419) 2003 GD21 | 4 April 2003 | list |
| (174625) 2003 ST76 | 19 September 2003 | list |
| (175069) 2004 GU28 | 15 April 2004 | list |
| (182910) 2002 EP99 | 2 March 2002 | list |
| (186664) 2003 YA30 | 18 December 2003 | list |
| (206440) 2003 SC210 | 25 September 2003 | list |
| important; height: 175px; | ||
|---|---|---|
| (217332) 2004 RS79 | 8 September 2004 | list |
| (247727) 2003 GC21 | 4 April 2003 | list |
| (260089) 2004 KO17 | 27 May 2004 | list |
| (271133) 2003 SU76 | 19 September 2003 | list |
| (323074) 2002 TS96 | 10 October 2002 | list |
| (436000) 2009 FE46 | 17 March 2009 | list |
| Minor Planet Center as of 2016[1] | ||
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