Georgetown University Astronomical Observatory

United States historic place

Georgetown University Astronomical Observatory

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

D.C. Inventory of Historic Sites

Observatory in September 2010

Location| Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Coordinates| 38°54′30″N 77°04′38″W﻿ / ﻿38.90833°N 77.07722°W﻿ / 38.90833; -77.07722
Built| 1841–1843
Architect| James Curley
Architectural style| Greek Revival
NRHP reference No.| 73002087
Significant dates
Added to NRHP| July 2, 1973
Designated DCIHS| November 8, 1964

The Georgetown University Astronomical Observatory (also the Heyden Observatory and Francis J. Heyden Observatory) was founded in 1841 by Father James Curley of the Department of Physics at Georgetown College. Father Curley chose a site on the college grounds, planned the building, and supervised its construction to its completion in 1844.[1] Costs were initially paid by Rev. Thomas Meredith Jenkins, S.J., and Rev. Charles H. Stonestreet, S.J., who were Georgetown professors at the time. The observatory was used in 1846 to determine the latitude and longitude of Washington, D.C., which Curley determined to be latitude 38°54′26N and longitude 5h8m18.29s (west of Greenwich).[2]

In 1850, Benedict Sestini used the observatory to make a series of sunspot drawings, which were engraved and published (44 plates) as "Appendix A" of the Naval Observatory volume for 1847, printed in 1853. In 1888, Johann Georg Hagen was named director. He was responsible for the installation of the 12-inch equatorial telescope with which for twenty years he observed and gathered data on variable stars. This instrument is still in continuous use. In 1928, Paul McNally became director. Francis J. Heyden, S.J. became director in 1945, and continued research into solar eclipses. In 1972, Georgetown University closed its Department of Astronomy, and the observatory was used by the Georgetown University Astronomical Society. Light pollution from surrounding Washington, D.C., has limited viewing celestial bodies from the location.

On July 2, 1973, the observatory was designated as a U.S. national landmark National Register of Historic Places. The Georgetown University Astronomical Society has, with support of Department of Physics and Georgetown University, periodically sponsored renovation of the Heyden Observatory, which is now primarily used by the Laboratory of Entomology and Biodiversity directed by Edward M. Barrows.[3] The Heyden Memorial Garden is on the east and north sides of the observatory. The garden has a conservation garden with native species; formal gardens; ponds with fish, frogs, water plants, and other biota; and trees including American beech, crapemyrtle, eastern redcedar, and English oak. The conservation garden is a monarch butterfly waystation. In 1989, as part of GU's bicentennial celebration, Professor Donald M. Spoon, who had a lab in the observatory at the time, organized the dedication of the garden. Father Heyden attended the ceremony. At the time, the garden was full of hundreds of iris species and cultivars, including new ones that Professor Spoon bred. Currently, Observatory Hill likely has thousands of species of archaens, bacteria, and eurkaryans, including animals, fungi, plants, and protistans. About 20 pollinator species regularly visit flowers on the hill.

Currently the observatory is operated and maintained by the Georgetown University Astronomical Society.

## List of directors[edit]

* James Curley (1843)
* Johann Georg Hagen (1888)
* Edward C. Phillips
* Paul McNally (1928)
* Francis J. Heyden (1948)

## See also[edit]

* List of astronomical observatories

## References[edit]

1. ^ "About Us". Georgetown University Astronomical Society. 2009. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
2. ^ Fargis, G.A. (1895). "Georgetown College Observatory, 1843-1893". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 7 (41): 89–97. Bibcode:1895PASP....7...89F. doi:10.1086/121000.
3. ^ "The Georgetown University Observatory". The Biodiversity Database of the Washington, D.C., Area. 2009. Retrieved March 12, 2010.

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Georgetown University Astronomical Observatory.

* Location on Georgetown University campus

* v
* t
* e

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Topics|

* Architectural style categories
* Contributing property
* Historic district
* History of the National Register of Historic Places
* Keeper of the Register
* National Park Service
* Property types

Lists by state|

* List of U.S. National Historic Landmarks by state:
* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Montana
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Washington
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

Lists by insular areas|

* American Samoa
* Guam
* Minor Outlying Islands
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Puerto Rico
* Virgin Islands

Lists by associated state|

* Federated States of Micronesia
* Marshall Islands
* Palau

Other areas|

* District of Columbia
* American Legation, Morocco

Related|

* National Historic Preservation Act
* Historic Preservation Fund
* List of jails and prisons on the National Register of Historic Places
* University and college buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places

* National Register of Historic Places portal
* Category

* v
* t
* e

Georgetown University

Schools|

* Business
* College
* Continuing Studies
* Dentistry
* Foreign Service
* Graduate
* Health
* Law
* Medicine
* Nursing
* Public Policy

Research|

* Georgetown University Library
* Mortara Center
* Woodstock Theological Center
* Berkley Center
* Kennedy Institute of Ethics
* Prince Alwaleed Center
* Contemporary Arab Studies
* International and Regional Studies
* Institute for Consumer Research
* Center on Education and the Workforce
* Institute for the Study of International Migration
* International Law Institute
* Institute for Law, Science and Global Security
* Institute of Politics and Public Service
* Government Affairs Institute
* Latin American Studies Center
* Lombardi Cancer Center

History|

* Alumni
* Presidents
* Board of directors
* Faculty
* Police
* Slave sale
* Andrew White
* John Gravenor
* Ferdinand Poulton
* John Carroll
* Patrick Francis Healy
* Edmund A. Walsh
* John J. DeGioia

Campuses|

* Georgetown
* Medical Center
* Hospital
* Law Center
* Qatar Campus
* Villa Le Balze
* McGhee Center

Buildings|

* Healy Hall
* Gaston Hall
* Old North
* Lauinger Library
* Dahlgren Chapel
* Housing
* Intercultural Center
* Observatory
* Jesuit Cemetery
* Holy Rood Cemetery
* Car Barn
* Exorcist steps
* Cooper Field
* Kehoe Field
* Yates Field House
* McDonough Gymnasium
* Capital One Arena
* Statue of John Carroll

Athletics|

* Hoyas
* Big East Conference
* Baseball
* Men's basketball
* Women's Basketball
* Draft picks
* Football
* Men's lacrosse
* Rugby
* Women's lacrosse
* Men's soccer
* Softball
* Hoya Saxa
* There Goes Old Georgetown
* Alma Mater
* Jack the Bulldog

Student life|

* GUSA
* The Corp
* GUASFCU
* ΔΦΕ
* Philodemic Society
* Mask & Bauble
* Nomadic Theatre
* Stewards Society
* Georgetown Chimes

Media|

* The Hoya
* The Georgetown Voice
* Georgetown Law Weekly
* Journal of International Affairs
* Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal
* Georgetown Environmental Law Review
* The Georgetown Heckler
* WGTB
* University Press

* v
* t
* e

Georgetown, Washington, D.C.

History|

* Organic Act of 1801
* Organic Act of 1871
* Street renaming
* The Exorcist
* Washington County, D.C.
* Washington and Georgetown Railroad

Historic sites|

* 1222 28th Street NW
* Car Barn
* Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
* City Tavern Club
* Corcoran School
* Customhouse and Post Office
* Dumbarton House
* Dumbarton Oaks
* Evermay
* Exorcist steps
* Farmers and Mechanics Bank
* Forrest-Marbury House
* Georgetown Market
* Georgetown Neighborhood Library
* Georgetown University Astronomical Observatory
* Halcyon House
* John Stoddert Haw House
* Healy Hall
* Laird-Dunlop House
* Lauinger Library
* McDonough Gymnasium
* Old North
* Old Stone House
* Isaac Owens House
* Newton D. Baker House
* Prospect House
* Quality Hill
* Smith Row
* Statue of John Carroll
* Three Sisters
* Tidewater Lock
* Tudor Place
* Van Ness Mausoleum
* Vigilant Firehouse
* Volta Laboratory and Bureau

Houses of worship|

* Christ Church
* Dahlgren Chapel
* Georgetown Visitation Monastery
* Grace Episcopal Church
* Holy Trinity Catholic Church
* Kesher Israel
* Mount Zion United Methodist Church
* Oak Hill Cemetery Chapel
* St. John's Episcopal Church

Streets and bridges|

* Aqueduct Bridge
* Dumbarton Bridge
* K Street Bridge
* Key Bridge
* L Street Bridge
* M Street
* M Street Bridge
* P Street
* P Street Bridge
* Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge
* Whitehurst Freeway
* Wisconsin Avenue

Education|

* British International School of Washington
* Duke Ellington School of the Arts
* Georgetown Female Seminary
* Georgetown University
* Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School
* Holy Trinity School

Parks and
cemeteries|

* Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
* Dumbarton Oaks Park
* Georgetown Waterfront Park
* Francis Scott Key Memorial
* Glover-Archbold Park
* Jesuit Community Cemetery
* Montrose Park
* Mount Zion Cemetery
* Oak Hill Cemetery
* Presbyterian Burying Ground

Establishments|

* Baked & Wired
* Embassy of France
* Embassy of Mongolia
* Embassy of Thailand
* Embassy of Ukraine
* Embassy of Venezuela
* Filomena Ristorante
* Four Seasons Hotel
* Georgetown Cupcake
* Georgetown Park
* Georgetown Visitation Monastery
* House of Sweden
* Martin's Tavern
* MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
* Potomac Boat Club
* Ritz-Carlton
* Suter's Tavern
* Washington Canoe Club
* Washington Harbour

* Northwest, Washington, D.C.
* Category

Portals:

* Astronomy
* Stars
* Spaceflight
* Outer space
* Solar System
* Education
* Science

*[No.]: number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template