Nice Observatory
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Nice Observatory | |
The main dome |
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| Code | 020 (observations) |
|---|---|
| Location | Mont Gros, Nice, France |
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Coordinates
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| Established | 1879 |
The Observatoire de Nice (Nice Observatory) is an astronomical observatory located in Nice, France on the summit of Mont Gros. The observatory was initiated in 1879 by the banker Raphaël Bischoffsheim. The architect was Charles Garnier, and Gustave Eiffel designed the main dome.
The 76-cm (30-inch) refractor telescope that became operational in 1888 was at that time the world's largest telescope. It was outperformed one year later by the 36-inch (91-cm) refractor at the Lick Observatory.
As a scientific institution, the Nice Observatory no longer exists. It was merged with CERGA in 1988 to form the Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur.
The Nice Observatory was featured in the 1999 film Simon Sez.
[edit] See also
- List of largest optical refracting telescopes
- List of largest optical reflecting telescopes
- List of observatories

