Leiden observatory
The Leiden Observatory ( Dutch Sterrewacht Leiden ) was built in 1633 as an observatory for the University of Leiden , making it the oldest university observatory in the world. In the first two decades, the observatory was mainly used for educational purposes. In 1861 a new and larger observatory was built under the direction of Frederik Kaiser , now known as the Oude Sterrewacht 'Alte Sternwarte' ( 52 ° 9 ′ 18 ″ N , 4 ° 29 ′ 6 ″ E ).
The Leiden observatory had many world-renowned directors, e. B. Frederik Kaiser , Willem de Sitter , Ejnar Hertzsprung and Jan Hendrik Oort .
Other famous astronomers at the Leiden Observatory were Hendrik Antoon Lorentz , Jacobus C. Kapteyn and Hendrik Christoffel van de Hulst .
In 1974 the Leiden observatory moved to the nearby Huygens Laboratory , and recently the new J. H. Oort building was occupied. The name Sternwarte Leiden (nl. Sterrewacht Leiden ) remained, however.
The current director is Huub Röttgering.
literature
- Friedrich Kaiser: History and description of the observatory in Leiden. Joh.Enschede, Haarlem, 1868 ( online )
- JK Katgert-Merkelijn: De Opvolging van W. de Sitter. In: Jaarboekje voor Geschiedenis en Oudheidkunde van Leiden en Omstreken. Nautilus, Leiden 1997, ( Online PDF )
Web links
- Leiden Observatory In: universiteitleiden.nl (English, Dutch)
Coordinates: 52 ° 9 ′ 17.8 " N , 4 ° 29 ′ 2.2" E