The Nice Observatory (french: Observatoire de Nice) is an
astronomical observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. His ...
located in
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
on the summit of Mount Gros. The
observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. His ...
was founded in 1879, by the banker
Raphaël Bischoffsheim
Raphaël-Louis Bischoffsheim (22 July 1823 – 20 May 1906) was a French banker and a member of the prominent Bischoffsheim family.
Family background
Raphaël-Louis’ father, Louis-Raphaël Bischoffsheim, was born in Mainz in 1800 and as an e ...
. The architect was
Charles Garnier, and
Gustave Eiffel
Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (born Bonickhausen dit Eiffel; ; ; 15 December 1832 – 27 December 1923) was a French civil engineer. A graduate of École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, he made his name with various bridges for the French railway ...
designed the main
dome
A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...
.
In 1886 the largest refracting (i.e., with an objective lens rather than a mirror) telescope in the World made its debut at Nice Observatory, the ''Grand Lunette.''
Description
The
refractor telescope
A refracting telescope (also called a refractor) is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image (also referred to a dioptric telescope). The refracting telescope design was originally used in spyglasses and as ...
[ made by Henry and Gautier became operational around 1886–1887,][
was the largest in a privately funded observatory, and the first at such high altitude ( above sea level). It was slightly bigger in aperture, several metres longer, and located at a higher altitude than the new (1895) at ]Pulkovo observatory
The Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory (russian: Пулковская астрономическая обсерватория, Pulkovskaya astronomicheskaya observatoriya), officially named the Central Astronomical Observatory of the Russian Academ ...
in the Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
, and the at Vienna Observatory
The Vienna Observatory (german: Universitätssternwarte Wien) is an astronomical observatory in Vienna, Austria. It is part of the University of Vienna. The first observatory was built in 1753–1754 on the roof of one of the university buildings ...
(completed early 1880s).[''The Observatory'', "Large Telescopes", Page 248]
/ref>
In the records for the largest refracting telescopes all three were outperformed by the refractor installed at the Lick Observatory
The Lick Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the University of California. It is on the summit of Mount Hamilton, in the Diablo Range just east of San Jose, California, United States. The observatory is managed by th ...
at 1,283 m altitude in 1889.
As a scientific institution, the Nice Observatory no longer exists. It was merged with CERGA in 1988 to form the Côte d'Azur Observatory
The Côte d'Azur Observatory (french: Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, OCA) is a network of astronomical observatories throughout southern France. It originated in 1988 with the merger of two observatories:
# Nice Observatory
# Centre de recher ...
, which often is still referred to as "Nice Observatory".
The Nice Observatory was featured in the unsuccessful 1999 film ''Simon Sez
''Simon Sez'' is a 1999 action film starring Dennis Rodman, Dane Cook, and John Pinette. The film was directed by Kevin Alyn Elders, and the score was composed by Brian Tyler.
The film received extremely negative reviews and became a box offic ...
''. It was also the setting for the title scene in the 2014 Woody Allen
Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...
flick ''Magic in the Moonlight
''Magic in the Moonlight'' is a 2014 romantic comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. It is Allen's 44th film. The film stars Emma Stone, Colin Firth, Hamish Linklater, Marcia Gay Harden, Jacki Weaver, Eileen Atkins, and Simon McBurney. S ...
''.
Directors
* Henri Perrotin (1880–1904)
* General J. A. L. Bassot (1904–1917)Jean-Claude Pecker
Jean-Claude Pecker (10 May 1923 – 20 February 2020) was a French astronomer, astrophysicist and author, member of the French Academy of Sciences and director of the Nice Observatory. He served as the secretary-general of the International Ast ...
(1962–1969)
Gallery
File:Grande Lunette Nice.jpg, The refractor at Nice Observatory, when built the world's largest, longest, and highest refracting telescope [
File:Coupole Bischoffsheim.jpg, The Bischoffsheim cupola
]
See also
* List of largest optical refracting telescopes
Refracting telescopes use a lens to focus light. The largest refracting telescope in the world is the Yerkes Observatory 40 inch (102 cm) refractor, used for astronomical and scientific observation for over a century. The Swedish 1-m S ...
* List of largest optical reflecting telescopes
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
* List of astronomical observatories
This is a list of astronomical observatories ordered by name, along with initial dates of operation (where an accurate date is available) and location. The list also includes a final year of operation for many observatories that are no longer in ...
References
External links
''Monographie de l'observatoire de Nice''
by Charles Garnier
{{Authority control
Astronomical observatories in France
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. His ...
Second Empire architecture
Great refractors
Charles Garnier buildings