Trivandrum Observatory
8°30′31″N 76°57′30″E / 8.508497°N 76.958318°E / 8.508497; 76.958318
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Trevandrum_observatory.jpg/220px-Trevandrum_observatory.jpg)
The Trivandrum Observatory or Thiruvananthapuram Astronomical Observatory is a scientific and astronomical observation station that was established by the Raja of Travancore Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma in 1836–37. The Raja wrote to the British Resident, Colonel James Stuart Fraser, an amateur scientist proposing the establishment of an astronomical observatory. This led to John Caldecott who earlier ran a small personal observatory at Alappuzha being appointed as the royal astronomer. The observatory was located on the highest point in the city and opposite the palace and was considered important as the magnetic equator at that time passed through Thiruvananthapuram. The observatory was designed by Lieutenant W H Horsley of the Madras Engineers.[1][2]
Caldecott also began taking meteorological measurements from July 1837 and expanded to another building in 1842 that housed a Dollond equatorial circle. A Travancore Almanac was published in 1838. Caldecott travelled to Europe in 1839 to obtain additional instruments and during this period the observatory was headed by Sperschneider. Caldecott died in 1849 and from January 1852 it was headed by John Allan Broun.[3] Broun and his assistants including J. Kochukunju (Cochoocoonjoo) and E. Kochiravi (Cocheravey) Pillai and several "computers" helped publish the Thiruvananthapuram Magnetic Observations in 1874.[2]
The observatory is now a part of the University of Kerala.
See also
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/38px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png)
- List of astronomical observatories
- Madhava Observatory
References
- ^ Caldecott, John (1837). "Description of an observatory lately established at Trevandrum, by his Highness the Rajah of Travancore". Madras Journal of Literature and Science. 6: 56–60.
- ^ a b Ratcliff, Jessica (2016). "Travancore's magnetic crusade: Geomagnetism and the geography of scientific production in a princely state". The British Journal for the History of Science. 49 (3): 325. doi:10.1017/S0007087416000340.
- ^ Stewart, B (1875). "Observations of Magnetic Declination made at Trevandrum and Agustia Malley in the Observatories of his Highness the Maharajah of Travancore, G.C.S.I., in the Years 1852 to 1869" (PDF). Nature. 12 (296): 163. Bibcode:1875Natur..12..163S. doi:10.1038/012163a0.
External links
- Kerala University website
- Kurian, Priya (2008) History of Astronomical Science in Kerala. Ph.D. thesis. University of Kerala.
- v
- t
- e
- Allahabad Observatory
- Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences
- Colaba Observatory
- Devasthal Observatory
- Gauribidanur Radio Observatory
- Girawali Observatory
- Gyarah Sidi
- India-based Neutrino Observatory
- Indian Astronomical Observatory
- Indian Initiative in Gravitational-wave Observations
- Indian Institute of Astrophysics
- Kodaikanal Solar Observatory
- Madhava Observatory
- Madras Observatory
- Mount Abu InfraRed Observatory
- National Centre for Radio Astrophysics
- Tara Wali Kothi
- Trivandrum Observatory
- Udaipur Solar Observatory
- Vainu Bappu Observatory