The Carter Observatory is located in Wellington, New Zealand, at the top of Wellington's Botanical Gardens . Presently or in the past it has carried out research, preservation of heritage, education, and promotion of astronomy to the public.

History

The observatory was established partly as a result of Charles Rooking Carter , who gifted his estate to what later became the Royal Society of New Zealand . The estate was gifted for the purposes of establishing an Astronomical Observatory in or near Wellington. Parliament established the Carter Observatory in 1937, which eventually opened in 1941, following some delays caused by the beginnings of World War II.

Research

Once opened, the observatory proceeded to be a base of astronomical research in New Zealand. Research began with solar research, and when new staff were acquired during the 1970's, research expanded to cover subjects such as variable stars, galaxies, comets and asteroids. In 1977, it was designated as New Zealand's National Observatory. This status is presently undergoing reconsideration, however, in part because the observatory has been underfunded for the task, and because its recent focus has moved from research to the promotion and education of astronomy.

Facilities

Within its main building, the Carter Observatory operates two telescopes, a planetarium that employs a ZKP1 Zeiss projector, a small lecture theatre, a shop, and several offices. Nearby, the Thomas King Observatory is also operated by the Carter Observatory, and opened for public viewing of the Sun during the day. A library of astronomical journals and literature was present on the site until early 2005, but was disbanded due to inadequate funding for its continued maintenance.

See also

• Gifford Observatory, also located in Wellington.

External links

• Carter Observatory's main website
• Carter Observatory's distance education website