Ward Observatory
Encyclopedia
The Ward Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Wanganui
, New Zealand
. It was built in 1901 and is administered by the Wanganui Astronomical Society. It was named after Joseph Thomas Ward (1862-1927), the Society's first president, and longtime director of the observatory.. A later stalwart of the Society was Charles Whitmore Babbage, grandson of Charles Babbage
.
The observatory houses a 24 cm telescope, the largest unmodified refractor telescope in use in New Zealand.
Located in Cooks Gardens, access to the observatory is from St Hill Street.
Public viewing is on Friday evenings from after dark, or by arrangement with the Astronomical Society. School groups by appointment.
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It was built in 1901 and is administered by the Wanganui Astronomical Society. It was named after Joseph Thomas Ward (1862-1927), the Society's first president, and longtime director of the observatory.. A later stalwart of the Society was Charles Whitmore Babbage, grandson of Charles Babbage
Charles Babbage
Charles Babbage, FRS was an English mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer who originated the concept of a programmable computer...
.
The observatory houses a 24 cm telescope, the largest unmodified refractor telescope in use in New Zealand.
Located in Cooks Gardens, access to the observatory is from St Hill Street.
Public viewing is on Friday evenings from after dark, or by arrangement with the Astronomical Society. School groups by appointment.