Observatories · Central Scotland
Macfarlane Observatory
Macfarlane Observatory — first purpose-built observatory in Britain.
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Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–2.5 h
- Best time of year
- Moonless winter nights (Oct–Mar)
- Nearest railway station
- High Street · 0.4 km
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Macfarlane Observatory is a observatory in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1757. Named after Alexander MacFarlane. Wikidata describes it as: "first purpose-built observatory in Britain". Coordinates: 55.8572°, -4.2353°.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
The Macfarlane Observatory was established at the University of Glasgow in 1757. It was the first purpose-built university observatory in Britain.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The Observatory was named after Alexander MacFarlane, a slaveholding Scottish merchant and astronomer who resided in Kingston, Jamaica and bequeathed his astronomical instruments to the University of Glasgow after his death in October 1755. Macfarlane graduated with an MA from the university in 1728. He emigrated to Jamaica in 1735. He later became assistant judge and member of the Legislative Assembly of Jamaica. Macfarlane purchased the astronomical instruments of Colin Campbell after 1742. The foundation stone for the observatory was laid in 1757. It was located between Gallowgate and Duke Street. An observatory represented a place of certitude of time and place, a place to set a marine…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 55.8572, -4.2353
- District
- Glasgow City
- Postcode
- G4 0SP
- Parliamentary constituency
- Glasgow East
- Established
- 1757
- Nearest railway station
- High Street — 0.4 km
- Official site
- barrowland-ballroom.co.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q6723274 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Macfarlane Observatory (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Macfarlane Observatory?
- Macfarlane Observatory is in central Scotland, United Kingdom (postcode G4 0SP).
- When was Macfarlane Observatory built?
- Built or established in 1757.
- How do I get to Macfarlane Observatory?
- The nearest railway station is High Street, about 0.4 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode G4 0SP.