Royal Observatory of Belgium
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| Organization | Royal Observatory of Belgium |
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| Code | 012 |
| Location | Uccle, Belgium |
| Coordinates | 50°47′54″N 4°21′30″E / 50.79833°N 4.35833°ECoordinates: 50°47′54″N 4°21′30″E / 50.79833°N 4.35833°E |
| Established | 1826 (Saint-Josse-ten-Noode) 1890 Uccle |
| Website |
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The Royal Observatory of Belgium (Dutch: Koninklijke Sterrenwacht van België; French: Observatoire Royal de Belgique), is situated in Uccle (Ukkel in Dutch) since 1890. It was first established in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode in 1826 by William I under the impulse of Adolphe Quetelet. It was home to a 100 cm diameter aperture Zeiss reflector in the first half of the 20th century, one of the largest telescopes in the world at the time. It owns a variety of other astronomical instruments, such as astrographs, as well as a range of seismograph equipment (such as for detecting earthquakes).
The main activities are:
Adolphe Quetelet first petitioned the government of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands to establish an astronomical observatory in Brussels in 1823. William I granted his request in 1826 and construction started in 1827 in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode. Meteorological observations started early, but delivery and installation of astronomical equipment proceeded slowly. Quetelet was appointed astronomer in 1828.
During the Belgian Revolution fighting took place in and around the observatory. Quetelet kept his position under the new government and started scientific observations. By 1834 buildings and instruments were finally completed. Adolpe Quetelet was succeeded by his son Ernest upon his death in 1874.
In 1876 Jean-Charles Houzeau became the new director and immediately started planning a move to Uccle. He managed to obtain better funding, enlarged the scientific staff and completely renewed the instruments. The first Belgian astronomical expedition was sent to Santiago and San Antonio to observe the transit of Venus in 1882. He tried to separate the meteorological and astronomical departments, but this was refused by the government. In 1883 construction of a new observatory in Uccle started, but Houzeau's resignation in 1883 delayed the move which was only completed in 1890-1891.
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