Paris Observatory, PSL University

The Paris Observatory (French: Observatoire de Paris, pronounced [ɔbsɛʁvatwaʁ d(ə) paʁi]), a research institution of the Paris Sciences et Lettres University, is the foremost astronomical observatory of France, one of the largest astronomical centres in the world, and the world’s oldest observatory still in operation. Its historic building is on the Left Bank of the Seine in central Paris, but most of the staff work on a satellite campus in Meudon, a suburb southwest of Paris. The Paris Observatory was established in 1667 as part of a project to create a state-of-the-art astronomical observatory equipped with advanced instruments for mapping the skies and aiding navigation.

Type

Grand établissement

Founded

1667

Students

114

Also known as

Observatoire de Paris, Royal Observatory of Paris