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 operation. While other sciences, such as volcanology and meteorology, also use facilities called observatories for research and observations, this list is limited to observatories that are used to observe celestial objects.
An astronomical observatory is generally a building or group of buildings constructed to aid in observations of astronomical objects such as planets, asteroids, stars, nebulae, and galaxies. In most cases, astronomical observations are made using different types of telescopes that serve to increase the apparent angular size and brightness of distant celestial objects allowing them to be better studied and understood.
Many modern telescopes and observatories are located in space in order to avoid the effects of atmospheric turbulence that plague ground based telescopes. These space observatories can also be used to observe astronomical objects in wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum that cannot penetrate the Earth's atmosphere (such as ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays) and are thus impossible to observe using ground-based telescopes.
Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

B

C

D

E

• La Silla Observatory


• Llano de Chajnantor Observatory


• Paranal Observatory

La Silla Observatory
Llano de Chajnantor Observatory
Paranal Observatory
1969
2005
1999 F

G

H

I

J

L

• Anderson Mesa Station

Anderson Mesa Station
1959 M

• Pic du Midi Observatory


• Toulouse Observatory

• 1878


• 1733

Pic du Midi Observatory
Toulouse Observatory
1878
1733
Pyrenees, France
Toulouse, France N

• Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory


• Gemini Observatory


• Kitt Peak National Observatory


• National Solar Observatory

• Atacama Large Millimeter Array


• Green Bank Telescope


• Very Large Array


• Very Long Baseline Array

Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
Gemini Observatory
Kitt Peak National Observatory
National Solar Observatory
Atacama Large Millimeter Array
Green Bank Telescope
Very Large Array
Very Long Baseline Array O

P

R

S

• Southern African Large Telescope

• MMT Observatory


• Mount Graham International Observatory


• Mount Lemmon Observatory

Southern African Large Telescope
2005
Karoo, South Africa
MMT Observatory
Mount Graham International Observatory
Mount Lemmon Observatory T

U

U.S. Naval Observatory (Flagstaff Station)
1955
Flagstaff, Arizona, (USA) V

• Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope

• Mount Graham, Arizona, USA

Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope
1993
Mount Graham, Arizona, USA W

X

Z