observatory

American  

[uhb-zur-vuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / əbˈzɜr vəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

noun

• observatories
  plural

1. a place or building equipped and used for making observations of astronomical, meteorological, or other natural phenomena, especially a place equipped with a powerful telescope for observing the planets and stars.

2. an institution that controls or carries on the work of such a place.

3. a place or structure that provides an extensive view; lookout.

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observatory British  

/ əbˈzɜːvətərɪ, -trɪ /

noun

1. an institution or building specially designed and equipped for observing meteorological and astronomical phenomena

2. any building or structure providing an extensive view of its surroundings

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• observatories
  plural

Etymology

Origin of observatory

1670–80; < Latin observā ( re ) to observe + -tory ²

Explanation

An observatory is a structure that holds a large telescope for observing the stars and planets or some celestial event. If you want to check out a lunar eclipse, then head to your nearest observatory. Observatories for examining the distant sky are typically located far from large cities, since light pollution makes it more difficult to see celestial bodies like stars and planets, or events like meteor showers. Another kind of observatory is quite simply a very tall, often skinny building meant for looking down over a city or its coastline. Observatory comes from the verb observe, or "watch," which in turn is rooted in the Latin observare, "watch over or guard."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

observatory observatories

The Belgian particle physicist helped build an observatory deep in the Antarctic ice.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

At the observatory, most neutrinos pass straight through the ice, but occasionally one interacts with it, producing particles that give off a telltale flash of light.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

From Sept. 15 to 21, engineers tested Roman's fine-guidance system, which helps the observatory remain precisely locked onto its targets.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

And then I do the classic loop all the way up to the observatory and down the other side.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

He saw the great dome of the main observatory, a smaller one a little way off, and between them a group of administration buildings and domestic quarters.

From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman

Boddington said the pub, which is in a dark sky reserve, is believed to be one of just a handful in England with their own observatories.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

Importantly, Swarm provides continuous global coverage over many years, allowing scientists to track how core dynamics evolve over time rather than relying only on ground-based magnetic observatories.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026

It survives on aging observatories, international cooperation and a scientific community small enough to fit in a lecture hall.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

The short, dramatic flash it created would have been hard to catch by amateur astronomers even with high-end telescopes, but larger observatories in the Americas are analysing the information.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

In our history it was some horde of furry little mammals who hid from the dinosaurs, colonized the treetops and later scampered down to domesticate fire, invent writing, construct observatories and launch space vehicles.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan