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Lyon Observatory is an astronomical
observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysics, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. Th ...
located in
Saint-Genis-Laval Saint-Genis-Laval () is a Communes of France, commune in the metropolis of Lyon in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region of eastern France. The Lyon Observatory is located in this commune. History Saint-Genis-Laval draws its name f ...
, a commune in the
Rhône The Rhône ( , ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Ròse''; Franco-Provençal, Arpitan: ''Rôno'') is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and Southeastern France before dischargi ...
department in eastern
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, near
Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
. Founded in 1878, the entire facility was listed as a historical site on 9 May 2007. In 1867, Paris astronomer Charles André requested of the prefect of Rhone, that a new observatory be created. In 1873, a commission offered to establish a facility in
Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon (, literally ''Sainte-Foy near Lyon'') is a commune in the Metropolis of Lyon in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France. Geography It is a suburb of the city of Lyon, located to the west of the city. It is locate ...
. André sought to have the site built in Saint-Genis-Laval. On March 11, 1878,
Patrice de MacMahon Marie Edme Patrice Maurice de MacMahon, marquis de MacMahon, duc de Magenta (; 13 June 1808 – 17 October 1893), was a French general and politician who served as President of France from 1873 to 1879. He was elevated to the dignity of Marshal ...
approved the creation of the Lyon Observatory. André was appointed its first director.


Research

Lyon Observatory has worked on polychromatic artificial stars for adaptive optics systems, made by a laser.


Directors

* 1878-1912: Charles André (1842-1912) * 1912-1933: Jean Mascart (1872-1935) * 1933-1966 : Jean Dufay (1896-1967) * 1966-1976: Joseph-Henri Bigay (1910-1982) * 1976-1986: Guy Monnet (1941-) * 1986-1995: Jean-Claude Ribes (1940-) * 1995-2005: Roland Bacon (1956-) * 2005-2015: Bruno Guiderdoni * 2015-... : Isabelle Daniel


See also

*
List of astronomical observatories This is a partial 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 lon ...


References


External links

*
Publications of Lyon Observatory
digitalized on
Paris Observatory The Paris Observatory (, ), a research institution of the Paris Sciences et Lettres University, is the foremost astronomical observatory of France, and one of the largest astronomical centres in the world. Its historic building is on the Left Ban ...
digital library Astronomical observatories in France 1878 establishments in France {{france-struct-stub