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350 years of the Royal Observatory: An astronomical heritage celebrates its anniversary!
Discover important observatories worldwide: history, tours and stargazing up to the 350th anniversary in Greenwich.
350 years of the Royal Observatory: An astronomical heritage celebrates its anniversary!
On June 22, 2025, the Royal Observatory Greenwich, one of the most famous astronomical facilities in the world, celebrated its 350th birthday. Founded by King Charles II in 1675, the observatory is located in picturesque Greenwich Park in London and marks the world's prime meridian (longitude 0°00′00′′). The facility was originally used to determine longitude for sea travel and developed the marine chronometer to determine position for sailors. Today it is a museum with exciting exhibitions and London's only planetarium, attracting a wide range of visitors. The site at Herstmonceux, known as the Observatory Science Centre, additionally offers historical telescopic observations.
For those who want to visit the Royal Observatory, it is recommended to book tickets online in advance. The ticket prices are as follows:
- Erwachsene: £24
- Kinder (4-15 Jahre): £12
- Studenten: £18
- Unter 4 Jahren: kostenlos
The booking process includes selecting the visit date and entry time as well as the number of tickets required, which will be sent by email after the booking is completed.
Other notable observatories
The Royal Observatory Greenwich is not the only notable observatory in the world. An overview of some other interesting facilities shows the variety of astronomical observation locations:
| observatory | Location | Founding year | Special features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory | Florence, Italy | 1869 | Large refracting telescope, guided tours with telescopic observations |
| South African Astronomical Observatory | Cape Town/Sutherland, South Africa | 1972 | Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), public tours |
| Jantar Mantar | Jaipur, India | 18th century | UNESCO World Heritage Site, largest stone sundial |
| Ishigakijima Astronomical Observatory | Japan | 2006 | Murikabushi Telescope, tours and stargazing |
| Siding Spring Observatory | Australia | 1974 | Anglo-Australian Telescope, interactive exhibitions |
| Maunakea Observatory | Hawaii, USA | – | Large telescopes, monthly stargazing evenings |
| Lowell Observatory | Arizona, USA | 1893 | Discovery of Pluto, telescopes and planetarium performances |
| Paranal Observatory | Chile | – | Very Large Telescope (VLT), tours on Saturdays |
| Teide Observatory | Canary Islands, Spain | – | Largest solar observatory in the world, astrophysics workshops |
Observatories are often built in remote locations to avoid light pollution and atmospheric turbulence. These places are of great interest to astronomy enthusiasts and contribute to the study of the mysteries of the universe. Visitors to the Royal Observatory can also purchase the Royal Museums Greenwich Day Pass, which gives access to other attractions such as the historic ship Cutty Sark.